Ridley Scott Wont Direct BLADE RUNNER 2 And Confirms 2015 Production Start

I've been hearing for months that Ridley Scott would have to chose between directing Blade Runner and Prometheus sequels. It seemed that Ridley had chosen Blade Runner as he stated recently it was next for him once The Martian wrapped production. Apparently, that isn't the case as Scott confirmed to Variety that he will be acting as the film's producer not director. Along with a 2015 production start for the sequel that will indeed see Harrsion Ford return.

While Ridley begins production on The Martian, it begs the question will Fox finally make an announcement concerning Prometheus 2. We know that that the script has been finalized, with the cast ready to go. I'm sure a lot of pre-production work, mainly the design side and set construction still has to be worked out. Ridley has promised fans a new alien threat, so that might take a bit of time to develop. However, TheWrap had stated that Fox was eyeing a March 2016 date for the sequel. I assume this date could get bumped back to allow Ridley to complete The Martian. A delay also makes sense considering Fassbender will be busy as well shooting Bryan Singer's X-Men Apocalypse. At least this gives us hope that Ridley will indeed return for the Prometheus sequel.

I'm extremely curious who will tackle the film. I feel like Christopher Nolan (worked with Alcon before on Insomnia) could do the franchise justice, but it's unlikely since it will shoot soon and he wouldn't have time to make the rewrites to the script.

SOURCE: VARIETY

Ridley Scott Reaffirms PROMETHEUS 2 Script Finished And New Alien Threat

It's starting to look like Prometheus 2 is moving further away from the Alien franchise, than previously thought. As Ridley Scott recently proclaimed the sequel wouldn't include xenomorphs, something we had expected since the new direction/focus was the engineers and not the xenos. He's now going even further by stating we could be getting an entirely new alien threat. Ridley spoke to TheAustralian (via SciFied) and reaffirmed his plans to stay away from the xenomorph. He also confirmed (again) that the script for the sequel is now completed, and "very good".

“it’s fresh” and “getting away from gods and dragons and shit. If I see one more dragon I’m going to shoot myself. Stop the dragons.” Rather than a dragon, Scott describes his original Alien as “the definitive dragon and he’s a motherf . . ker. The alien’s real which is why it’s probably one of the scariest monsters in film history,” Scott says. “So withPrometheus 2 what I’m trying to do is reintroduce a fresher form of alien in the third act.” The Prometheus “baby” alien was, he concedes, “awfully close to the alien” that tormented Sigourney Weaver. His next one promises to be very different.



Noomi Rapace was asked by MTV about who she thought who the film's new protagonist and antagonist should be. Pointing to God and the Devil, which I assume just means good and evil. Perhaps, the talk of two warring factions within the Engineer society might actually be explored in the film afterall. I'm more interested in seeing what made them so angry they wanted to destroy Earth.

There have already been a few plot points possibly revealed already, we're expected to see the return of Weyland Industries. Mainly, that we'll be seeing many more Davids in the film. I'm sort of hoping we do get more humans as well.

I'd love to see a version of the Andrea Bishop hologram/android from the viral site make an appearance as well. However, whenever the timeline is set in the new film (cryo-sleep being a factor). They might have already whizzed past the events of LV-426, unless this film will indeed be the bridge between the two films.

Scott has mentioned his next film once The Martian wraps will be the Blade Runner sequel. This very well might mean that Fox will indeed start looking for another director. Prometheus while under the title of Alien: Origins didn't originally have Ridley as it's director, so it's possible he could help search for his replacement.

I'm rooting for Under The Skin's Jonathan Glazer, but could see someone like Halo: Nightfall's Sergio Mimica-Gezzan takeover for Ridley. Halo is already a franchise inspired by the Alien saga, more accurately James Cameron's Aliens. I'm sure fans would like to see the action level amped-up a bit for the sequel. Ridley produced the Halo series, I assume he'll end-up staying-on as a producer and help hand pick a new director. That's if Scott does exit the director's chair, which sounds like a possibility as Fox isn't known for waiting for Alien saga directors.

SOURCE: THE AUSTRALIAN 

Will Australia Be The Setting For Weyland's Mars Facility Or Engineer Planet In PROMETHEUS 2?

TheDailyMail back in May, picked-up on a possible location scout by Ridley Scott for Prometheus 2 in Australia. The country is known for it's stunning landscapes, and most notably it's vibrant badlands, which has been best used in the Mad Max franchise. We have no idea when the production is expected to begin, but with it's release date rumored for March 6th, 2016 it could be sometime very soon. Once Ridley has finished his promotional tour for Exodus.

Ridley and Fox have recently hired Michael Green (Blade Runner 2) to do rewrites to the sequel's script from Jack Paglen (Transcendence). Besides the knowledge that David (Michael Fassbender) and Shaw (Noomi Rapce) are heading to the engineer world, we don't know too much about the direction the sequel will go. However, we should expect a large presence from Weyland Industries.

I have to assume Ridley is there because of his desire to shoot Australia's deserts and farmlands. The director previously mentioning wanting to shoot plains/farmlands for the sequel. What those locations could be used for is a little less known, but farmlands could mean terraforming or off-world colonies. It was established that Peter Weyland was well underway colonizing/militarizing Mars, and this could be the location where a rescue/military operation is launched to investigate the missing crew of the Prometheus. TheWrap mentioned a bunch of androids and multiple Davids in the film, it would make sense that the company would send loyal androids along for the ride. I'm sure we'll also see another expendable human crew as well.

Aussie actor Guy Pearce has mentioned a desire to return for the sequel. This could be in the form of an heir, hologram, droid or even the ship's computer (an early version of Father?). Having a company interest sounds about right for the universe, and bringing back a non-elderly Weyland would be worthwhile. Since his best scenes were from the Ted Talk viral clip. There are plenty of science-fiction ways to bring him back, and he's obviously game for it.

The viral campaign also introduced us to an early model of the Bishop line of androids with Andrea Bishop, I'm hoping that is new character is included in the next film. Since we didn't have any female bots in the last installment. Plus, having Andrea involved would be a nice call-back to both Bishop (Aliens, Alien 3) and Call (Alien Resurrection). I'd love to see Andrea Risebourgh (Oblivion, Welcome To The Punch, Shadow Dancer) in the role.

I'd also love to see return or at least the origins of the relationship between the United States Colonial Marines and the Weyland Corporation, along with how they interact with the regular population and colonies outside of Aliens. There is still plenty to explore with the marines, and they tend to have richer character development moments than company employees or scientists. It would also allow Ridley to branch-out and give us other characters to route for, besides Shaw.

Another possibility is that it could double for the engineer home-world planet. We've already seen a bunch of H.R. Giger's production art from Jodorowsky's Dune used in the first film on LV-223. Not to mention the design of the engineer taking major cues from David Lynch's film as well. Placing the aliens in a violent desert planet wouldn't be too much of a stretch. Maybe the remaining few are living in the ruins of their once great society, after whatever sparked the massacre at their military base on LV-223.

Speaking of Giger's unused Dune artwork, I'm sure some of the other Harkonnen pieces could find their way into the sequel as well.

Guy Pearce Wants To Return For PROMETHEUS 2

Prometheus has had it's share of problems pointed-out, but one thing Ridley Scott nailed was casting Guy Pearce as an ambitious young Peter Weyland. His scenes at Ted Talk were cut-out of the main film and used in the viral campaign instead. They plant the seeds of Weyland's search to find immortality, space exploration and his god-complex. Weyland is a twisted and ruthless character that never really got flushed-out in the film, but he could in Prometheus 2.

During a recent interview with IGN, the Aussie actor revealed a desire to join the cast of Prometheus 2, and would jump at the chance to work with Ridley Scott again. The film is being eyed for a March 4th, 2016 release date. Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace are already set to return in their roles. Guy mentions being open to playing Weyland again, or someone else entirely.

"I'd love to go back and play that character again..To work for Ridley again, you know, he's great -- really wonderful to work for. So yeah, I'm very curious to see what he will do next with it."

"Based on my character's request for immortality and then getting whacked in the head with Michael Fassbender's head, uh... no. [Laughs] But I think it's possible. I just think it may not be for Peter Weyland. I mean, who knows? When you look at science fiction and the ways in which you can cut the pie and things can develop -- technologically speaking, etcetera -- anything's possible, really, isn't it? Particularly with Ridley at the helm."

Of course, there are plenty of ways Guy could be used in the film. Flashbacks or propaganda company videos being the first things that come to mind. Perhaps, cloning is used to keep Peter Weyland around, even after his death. Alien Resurrection used cloning to bring back Ripley, it wouldn't be hard to imagine Weyland having access to that kind of technology. Another angle could be he plays an heir to the Weyland dynasty. A relative that happens to be the spitting-image of Peter Weyland.

An even simpler way would be to pull a Bishop, and have a Weyland look-a-like android. We've already had talk of many Davids (Fassbender) in the sequel. Adding another android acting on the behalf of the interests of Weyland Industries looking like Peter sounds about right. I'd also think it's possible we could see a ship computer not unlike mother/father, with a hologram persona in the guise of young Peter Weyland.

SOURCE: IGN

Harrison Ford Given An Official Offer For BLADE RUNNER 2

It's looks like everyone is courting Harrison Ford to reprise his old roles. Ford was confirmed for a major lead role in Star Wars: Episode VII (possible sequels too?), and is rumored be involved in the next two Indiana Jones films. The latter the actor has been more vocally enthused about reprising. Another 80's retread is also in development over at Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros., which is a sequel to the cult sci-fi film Blade Runner.

Ridley Scott was confirmed a while back as returning to direct, with a new script being written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Ridley has talked about including and reaching out to Harrison to return for the sequel, but it never seemed like sure-thing. Alcon announced they've made an offer to Ford, but aren't confirming it' a done deal.

“We believe that Hampton Fancher and Michael Green have crafted with Ridley Scott an extraordinary sequel to one of the greatest films of all time. We would be honored, and we are hopeful, that Harrison will be part of our project.”

At the moment production start hasn't been figured-out, as Ford will be busy with Star Wars and Ridley possibly with Prometheus 2 (getting rewrite from Michael Green) expected to begin shooting in the Fall or early 2015. It's still early and anything could happen, it's more than likely Harrison will have to turn it down because of other projects. While they could actually work around Ford to get this done.


SOURCE: ALCON ENTERTAINMENT

PROMETHEUS 2 Next For Ridley Scott And Coming March 2016!

It looks like Ridley Scott wasn't blowing smoke up our asses last year, when he talked-up Prometheus 2 (Paradise) being next on his plate. Hinting the second installment in the two-part saga (originally a two-part film when titled Alien: Origins and Carl Rinsch was set to direct) would be next for him. We last heard that Transcendence writer Jack Paglen finished his draft and Scott was teasing a 2015 release date, which according TheWrap is indeed that untitled Ridley Scott project which has the March 3rd, 2016 slot. They also report that shooting will begin this fall, after Scott completes work on the upcoming Moses film Exodus.

Jeff also reveals that Michael Green has been tasked to come-in to add rewrites to the script. Green recently did writes on Ridley's Blade Runner sequel at Alcon. It sounds like Fox and Ridley aren't taking any chances quality-wise by hiring these two sci-fi screenwriters. It seems like Paglen wrote the blueprint and Green will polish, likely with the usual studio notes that are usually associated with an Alien universe script. As Fox and producers have a history of holding a fair-bit of creative control of the franchise, most notably producer/writer Walter Hill.

TheWrap adds that the film will see multiple David androids, who is played by Michael Fassbender. Possibly, the rescue crew or search crew for the missing team, after the events of the first film. We already know that Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and David are on their way to the Engineers' homeworld, other than that we really don't know much of the plot. Having Jeff includes these minor details are stellar since we'll likely be in the dark for the next couple of months.

SOURCE: THEWRAP

Screenwriter Michael Green In Talks To Take A Shot At BLADE RUNNER 2

TheWrap reports that Ridley Scott is still actively trying to put together that new Blade Runner film. They say that Alcon Entertainment/Scott Free is in talks to hire Michael Green (Green Lantern) to write a script for the project. Last we heard David Peoples (who adapted the original film) and Janet Peoples was tackling an outline or draft of their own. At the time Ridley and Alcon had confirmed it would indeed be a sequel of sorts. This new report seemingly reiterates that aspect set some years after the original film. I don't doubt that Green could give us something interesting but the stain of Green Lantern's awful box office could make the folks involved cautious to commit. To be fair he handed in a draft of The Flash for Warner Bros. which seemingly peeked the studio's interest as well.

Steven Spielberg Could Direct A Gritty Moses Film For Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. is developing a new Moses movie with the working title Gods And Kings. The script is in place by Michael Green (Green Lantern) and Stuart Hazeldine (Paradise Lost) but has yet to attach a director. Deadline reports that Steven Spielberg is close to committing to the project as it's director. Currently Steven has finished production on Lincoln and is about to start on Robopocalypse. The studio is expecting a more gritty take on the character and hopes to bring in the realism that was seen in the battle scenes of Saving Private Ryan.

Jonathan Nolan Might Rewrite Akira Script

Variety has expanded on their original tweet involving Warner Bros. looking to rewrite Steve Kloves' (Harry Potter films) script for Akira. They mention that the studio is currently looking at Jonathan Nolan and Michael Green for the rewriting job. Nolan is the younger brother of Christopher Nolan and is responsible for helping him write films like Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight and the upcoming Dark Knight Rises. The former of which earned the screenwriter an Oscar nomination. Michael on the other hand is mostly known for television work and last summer's biggest flop Green Lantern. He apparently was hired to write a sequel to Green Lantern (why?) and for an adaptation of The Flash. The Nolan name could bring some much needed pedigree to the ailing project. Which in turn could attract better known and established actors to the cast.