Alien: Covenant - Everything You Need To Know

1. It's Why Neill Blomkamp's Alien 5 Got Cancelled

Earlier this year, expert mech designer and sometimes director Neill Blomkamp posted some unsolicited concept art for an Alien sequel onto Instagram. And because we apparently live in a world where glorified fan art is cause enough to commission a movie, Fox decided that this was worth a green light. A cynic (like me) would suggest all the Alien art came as an attempt on Blomkamp's part to make the dire Chappie an interesting prospect - "You may have hated Elysium, but this film may have clues for what to expect from the new Alien, so please come see it" - but even if not it was all rather empty ideas. Hicks is alive, there's a derelict in a hangar, here's a redesigned gun; it's the sort of stuff a fanzine in 1991 would have speculated. However, after that initial announcement of pre-production things weren't looking up for the narrative-busting movie; early on it was said it was taking second priority to Prometheus 2, and eventually last month it was revealed to have actually been shelved as what is now Covenant geared up for production. And who can really be too upset? Blomkamp has skill and showed unimaginable promise with District 9, but both of his subsequent films were attempts to staple cack-handed moral messages onto mere repetitions of his breakthrough's style. We don't need a grungey, gritty Alien set in South Africa with the xenomorph voiced by Sharlto Copley, and if you're not relieved to know we won't be getting that then you clearly didn't see Chappie. Are you excited for Alien: Covenant? Or should Scott leave well alone after Prometheus? Share your thoughts down in the comments.