What you need to know about Neill Blomkamp's Alien 5

Is Alien 5 actually happening?

With such a range of hype and confusion surrounding Neill Blomkamp's Alien film, many fans wonder if the film will ever actually come to fruition. Despite the apparent delay due to Ridley Scott's Prometheus sequel Alien: Covenant, Fox are still planning to bring Neill Blomkamp's vision of Alien 5 to the big screen. In order to avoid over-saturating the market and confusing average film goers, Fox have decided to hold off on Alien 5 until Alien: Covenant has had its run. Alien, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant director Ridley Scott will executive produce Alien 5. Production has already begun and a script as well as an abundance of concept art and storyboards have been created for the project.

What will the plot for Alien 5 be about?

The plot and title for Alien 5 have been kept relatively secret, despite a few slips by the film's expected cast. Sigourney Weaver has, on many occasions, revealed that Alien 5 will follow a different timeline to that of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. Actor Michael Biehn, who played Cpl. Hicks in James Cameron's Aliens added to the plot speculation by insinuating that the story would focus on that of the character Newt - the young girl he and Ripley rescued in Aliens. Taking place roughly 20-30 years after the events of Aliens, rumors began to circulate that Carrie Henn would be reprising her role as Newt for Alien 5, however that rumor has yet to be validated.

Where does Alien 5 fall into the series?

Alien 5 will take place following the events of Aliens - the sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien. It will see Ellen Ripley, Cpl. Hicks and potentially Newt all return, alive as ever in a new thrilling adventure. The events of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection will not have any bearing on the plot for Alien 5. Rumors suggest Alien 5 will write-off Alien 3 and Resurrection as merely "bad dreams", but in actuality Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection may actually simply remain as part of an alternate timeline instead. The exact year Alien 5 will take place is unknown, but early rumors and hints suggest anywhere between 20 and 30 years after Aliens.

How will Alien 5 work with Alien: Covenant and the Prometheus sequels?

Ridley Scott and Neill Blomkamp met to discuss this very issue. After a few meetings, the story for Alien 5 was eventually revised to work with the concepts Ridley Scott was planning to introduce with Alien: Covenant and the rest of the Prometheus sequels. Concept artwork for Alien 5 which Blomkamp had created himself, showed a ship very similar to that of the Derelict from Alien, in what seemed to be a research facility:

Given what we know after seeing Prometheus, its clear Ridley Scott has big plans and big ideas for these Engineer space craft, what they house inside and the Aliens they spread across the Universe. As far as we know currently, the plot for Alien 5 will still closely follow that of Ripley Hicks and presumably Newt and will act as a "passing of the torch" from Ripley to Newt - who will likely carry on the Alien legacy after Ripley is gone.