Does anyone remember?

This is a tricky one as its a bit ambiguous regarding IF he meant that Alien Covenant has a Ripley Connection or that it will lead to one via the Covenant Ship

This made people WONDER is Daniels Ripley's Mother or some other connection?  Or is Ripley on the Covenant Ship in Cryo-sleep or at least some Family Member.

Some interviews with Waterston and Ridley Scott did tease around a Daniels Connection...

Ultimately it could have meant that the connection is that Daniels is like a Spiritual Successor AKA intended to be the NEW Ripley of the Prequels, and this is what the connection i feel would have been.

It looks like the video where Ridley Scott spoke about this was taken down but some of the transcript, below, is in the article ninXeno426 (source).

"We’re heading toward the back end of the first Alien so [using CG] may be feasible. I don’t think it’ll... but Ripley’s going to be somebody’s daughter. Obviously. We’re coming in from the back end. The time constraints, of what’s the time between this film, where we leave David going off heading for that colony, I think you’re probably two films out from even considering her."

Ingeniero is right, initially Scott alluded to a connection to Ripley, but ultimately it was scrapped since Covenant again represents one of 3 or 4 prequels required before we actually result in the original Alien. Personally, I'm glad there was no connection to Ripley in Covenant.

Funny you should bring this up ninXeno, I was just thinking about it the other day!

Yeah, I'm kinda glad it didn't happen, not in Covenant anyway.

Ridley's comment was very funny to me at the time so it stuck. 

Ripley is somebody's daughter.  Thank you for the update Mr. Scott...we were already aware Ripley was NOT formed from clay. Every female character in Alien and all Earth women are somebody's daughter.

I think he meant: Ripley is not my daughter.

Didn't he wanted Ripley dead at the end of Alien? Why would he want her back now? 

daliens Exactly! Why would he want a connection to Ripley? *Cue Cameron* 

Perhaps it was another idea which the suits tried to force upon him, whether he liked it or not?

Puts me in mind of this little sequence I made a while back!

That's wonderful Lone. 

Yes daliens...and a xenomorph with her voice talking into a space walkie-talkie. I am really glad someone hit the brakes on that.

Look what he said about the Hennessy suits, at their own event:

“They sent me a script which was interesting, because it gave me an opportunity to do my thing with their thing. I was not to know that they were really a tough bunch of sons-of-bitches, so I really didn’t get away with anything, but that said, coming to the table, I like people who are strong,”

The suits from Fox asked for more aliens, less engineers, Ripley, or at least her mother, a queen??, a Predator??

For Ridley, Ripley is Cameron's daughter and the queen fits better in AVP + AVPR kind of movies.

Fox or Disney or who the hell is in charge now will go ahead with Blomkamp, Cameron, Shane Black et Co. because this is all they can dream of.

That Interview was a bit ambiguous...

His response was to a Question about Ripley appearing in Future Movies, this is where he had suggested you could introduce her and De-Age her with CGI.

The Ripley is someones Daughter, should not be taken into account too Literally, he may just be pointing out the obvious that she would have a MOTHER and its maybe not suggesting that her Mother would be on the Covenant or another Ship that arrives at some point during the Next Few Movies that are set prior to ALIEN.

We have to consider the Covenant appears to be a ONE-WAY Mission, those Colonist set off on a 8 year+ Journey, they would not arrive at Origae-6 until the year 2112 and so 10 years prior to ALIEN.  The Colonist would likely be heading to Origae-6 to make a NEW Start and unlikely to Return back to Earth/Our System.

So we have to consider a few things, UNLESS they change a lot of Canon as far as Places of Birth and Dates.

Ellen Ripley would be about 12  Years Old when the Covenant Mission Departed, WOULD her Mother Leave to Start a NEW LIFE on a World 8+ Years away and leave her 12 Year Old Daughter Behind?

If Ripley is on the Covenant Ship with them, we have to ask HOW long does she remain in Cryo-Sleep because we have to assume 8+ Years in Cryo-Sleep would not have Ellen Ripley appear as a 20 year Old Woman when she arrives at Origae-6 and even IF it did, then her Background/Training does-not fit with her arriving on Origae-6 in the Year 2112, having departed Earth aged 12, and then 10 years after they arrive on Origae-6 we have Ripley Aged 30 head to LV-426 on the Nostromo?

Logically this does-not add up and so i think we can RULE-OUT having Ellen Ripley on the Covenant.

So then we have to ASK!  Would her Mother leave her 12 Year Old Daughter while she takes 8 years to get to Origae-6 and then even if she just stays on Origae-6 for a Year or Two then heads Home...  then Ripleys Mother would be AWAY for 17-18 years...  Can you really see her Mother doing that?

So i dont think Ellen Ripleys Mother would be on the Covenant Mission either!

The way i read into the Interviews is that RS was indicating that Daniels would be like a Spiritual Successor and so the NEW Bad Ass Ripley like Character.

The CGI element i think was just in response that you could introduce Ripley Back using CGI at some point...  but its quite what he means by that?

A Blomkamp Alien 5... as in IGNORE from Alien 3 on-wards?

A Prequel were at the END of the Last Movie of the Prequels, we are taken to a point where Ellen Ripley is enlisted on the Nostromo or point when they stop off to welcome New Member of the Crew ASH on-board?

As surely we know Ripley and the Nostromo had NEVER arrived at LV-426 until 2122, and the Derelict would surely had been there for more than a few Weeks/Months!

A part of me was wondering if this CGI comment with Ripley could be RS considering to continue with his Movies after ALIEN and thus Remove ALIENS from Canon?

This would cause the BIGGEST S$"% Storm of Backlash in the Franchise from Fans however...   So maybe after his Prequels... they had indeed intended to do a Reboot of Alien 3, so that we get a ALIENS Sequel with Ripley and the Gang back, that could lead to future movies that would connect to RS prequels and Engineers?

"Didn't he wanted Ripley dead at the end of Alien? Why would he want her back now?"

Indeed he intended a different Ending, and the Imitating Her Voice to Lure People in/Fool People, was because RS felt the Xenomorph would go on to show signs of being VERY intelligent,  so you can bet IF he had been able to had done a Sequel to ALIEN then the Xenomorphs would likely had not been as simple a concept as Cameron's BUGS!

That being said, if we look at Theatrical Releases, then the Xenomorphs in ALIENS appear to be just as IF not more Intelligent than our ALIEN Big Chap who basically stalked the Crew and killed them off like a Cross Between a Alien Natural Predator and a Space Jason Voorhees

The Egg Morph showed the Xenomorph had a Objective  and was not just going around KILLING for the sake of it. I think Ridley Scott wanting to show the Xenomorph killing Ripley and then Imitating Her Voice, would have been a step to show the Xenomorph as a Intelligent Organism just as the STARBEAST Ancestors were in the Earlier Drafts.

This is what Ridley told Empire magazine in Sept 2015:

“In a way it is Prometheus 2. It’s exactly the same story. But it was always in the works to be called that [Alien: Paradise Lost]. Is Prometheus actually taking us off course from where I’m going, which is actually backing into the first Alien… I’ve even got connections with Ripley [in this], but I’m not telling you what.”

IMO to have the xenomorph imitating Ripley would have been terrifying and with a lot of potential for better sequels. A similar effect was used in Annihilation and it was weird and alieny and scary too.

@Lone

Yeah that was the one interview i remember were he teased it would have a Ripley Connection, and if i recall he and Waterston did some interviews/press releases where the Ripley thing was brought up and there faces seemed to tease maybe there was some kind of Plan.

But i believe it was just in terms of making Daniels a NEW kind of Ripley Character compared to how Dr Shaw was not a Ripley type Character.

I cant see how there would be any other way of a Ripley Connection to Alien Covenant as far as the Crew/Colonist unless its NOT a direct connection,  so it would not be Ripley at all, or her Mother.. but potentially could be a Sister, Brother a Uncle, Aunt or Cousin.

I think it was connected via the ARC of Daniels Character, so that at the End we see her as more of a Ripley, and maybe the Next Movie should would have become even more than Take No %£$^ Bad Ass Ripley Character

@daliens

I have never seen Annihilation i have to check it out, i think certainly if RS had kept his idea it would have added a layer of terror to the already terrifying Beast. 

But i kind of prefer how we got our Xenomorph, and having them Talk would be a bit ODD!   But maybe they took this idea and used it with Predator as those Aliens did Mimic Human Voices.

I think to run with RS idea and expand it would have been interested if we saw the Xenomorph could infect/inject something into a Host and have Control over them. So say in the instance of Ripley we would see her contact the Company, and even via Video she could talk to them but have a kind of Blank/Robotic Expression...  Then when the company arrive they turn up to meet Ripley (or whoever) and then they just appear to be in a trance, and not talk at all...    As the other Humans take a close look... she Grabs them.... and Holds them tight... they ask to be let go, then we see the Xenomorph come from above and attack!

I feel this kind of Control/Mimic Trick would be something interesting to have explored.  They could also use a Human in this way to Communicate.  But alas we had seen similar already done with Independence Day... but as ALIEN Franchise was older, i think IF they had done this First it could have been pretty Terrifying and Interesting at the same time.

Yeah I remember that, I am happy that they did not have that in AC because that would have been a really bad idea. They don’t need to throw Ripley connections into every movie, she had her movies so that should be enough.

Just checked out the Trailer for Annihilation, seems interesting, it does look like its borrowed quite a bit from Prometheus as far as the Mutation of Organic Life into something NEW (sometimes to Create, One must First Destroy).   Some elements seem to be taking a Prometheus Internal Juggernaught look too.

I always wondered if She would have, in some way, be connected to the character: Christopher Oram. Even though He dies, I always thought when You look at Him & His dark hair, eye's, swarthy features that He would in some way be connected to Ripley.

Look at Her in ALIENS when She's hesitant to enter into the colony with the Colonial Marines, standing in the rain & Hicks says: "Are you alright?" Many other moments in Alien makes Me think that She & He "could" be related if they wanted to make that canon.

But, no evidence yet that there is any family connection (i.e.) Grandfather, Father just "The" closest one in My mind of the entire Covenant crew that could have served as some relative to Ripley, even if it was in the early stages of Her family line. Like Shmi Skywalker to Luke & Leia in Star Wars. . .

He could have had a child that He either did or did not know of or even wanted to know. . .

No evidence though, as-yet, that there is a connection - if any. . .

Maybe you could be on to something there?

Billy Crudrup Leaves Pregnant Partner

She does have that Ripley look... but joking aside, The Time-Line would surely conflict any direct connection, unless its a Older Sister/Brother, Uncle or Aunt etc.

He has a similar look to Ripley when he is in Davids Chambers for want of a better word where all His works of "art" are being studied by Him (David). The lighting on Christophers face & when He goes down into the lower Chamber where the proto-petal Facehugger egg is.

The lighting on his face is very reminicent of Ripley running around with red on Her face, sweat, damp hair & so-on...

I see where your coming from, hence my joke in that Article and Picture ;)

I suppose it could work, if Oram had been her Father but that he had left before knowing he had a Child, or knowing he had someone Pregnant but the Relationship Broke down so they separated.

He then begins his NEW Life, and as part of this he becomes enrolled in the Covenant Project.

Hmmm... I wonder!!??

To the OP- I had read stuff to that effect. Here we are. I don't think RS has much control anymore. I say that we should mush on with the possibilities this forum has discussed over the past year. Sorry RS, your reign is over in this franchise. 

Supposedly Ridley Scott is doing a Merlin franchise for Disney or a Merlin film that could become a franchise, or so I read before. So, if that is the case, then maybe that is a commercial project that if complete & successful acts as a "down payment" between Scott & Disney to automatically green light another alien project or more projects - films/tv series/streaming.

Agreed, He should produce while other grittier talents unleash themselves upon the franchise in streaming shows & films.

I often thought there should be a tv show simply called: "WEYLAND" then followed by the sub title: "Building Better Worlds" much in the same vein & asthetic look as WESTWORLD's intro credit sequence.

Then the show could progress into WEYLAND-YUTANNI merger & so-on from there with the tag-line "Building Better Worlds" perhaps. I've touched upon this a while ago & may do an updated thread on it as We know more now & have seen more content as the afore-mentioned WESTWORLD & other topics like STAR TREK: DISCOVERY & some of there ideas, STRANGER THINGS, BLADE RUNNER: 2049, HALO games dealing with technologies & so-on so there is an ever-expanding scope for a WEYLAND-like streaming/TV Show. 

"Hmmm... I wonder!!??"

It still is a Mystery who Ripleys Parents are.... maybe the Secret has been revealed?

;)

Regarding the Franchise, i feel Ridley Scott has been getting a lot of Stick, the Studio that calls most of the Shots... if Disney say that he wants the Sequel to Alien Covenant to have David try and infect Daniels with a Face Hugger, and Tennessee rushes in with a Joint in his Mouth, and Grabs the Face Hugger and throws it to David, who gets Face Hugged and Chest Bursts a Bio-Mechanical Queen, and this is the end of the 1st ACT.... if RS is like "no frickin way, i am not doing that" then Disney could just call up Cameron and see what he says... and he could be like "Yeah i would do that, One Condition... make it Ripley or Ripleys Mother who rescues Daniels and count me in"

I think the main thing RS should take the blame for is Championing the TWIST that David Creates the Xenomorph, instead of say he Perfects his own Version. Plus maybe a lot of Blame for the Character ARC of David which i dont have a massive Problem with...  But i think right now the Biggest Gripes with Alien Covenant has to be that we was expected more about the Engineers, and having Dr Shaws Answers.... which we hardly got... and the Xenomorph was a Creation of Davids..

Ridley Scotts other ideas are interesting to me, but maybe not to some, i feel Prometheus had a lot to offer and expand upon, BUT once you take the route to make a more Literal Chronological Prequel about the lead up to HOW/WHEN those Eggs got onto the Derelict... then this STOPS being a Spin-Off and becomes a ALIEN movie in which case, the ideas and themes of Prometheus become a Distraction because at least 40% of any Movie NOW has to be about the Xenomorph or at least it would be expected to be.

So i do think there is not much chance of Ridley Scott returning to the Franchise, in part because they (Disney) could see his ideas and being NOT what Alien fans may want now we are on that path to ALIEN and maybe also because RS may not want to take part in a more Traditional Action Run, Shoot, Hide and Hello Ripley kind of Alien Flick that Disney may feel is the Direction to take.

They may feel they need to do a Star Wars, where it has to connect to a Ripley Saga just as much as having Xenomorphs... where actually you dont have to...  Star Wars Rogue One was a Good Movie, it was not about Jedi, and Skywalkers....

I think that movie would still had worked if we never had the Vader Element, or Leia Cameo, and just ended with the Information about the Death Star being transferred to the Corvette Transport and then seen those Rebel Ships go into Hyper Drive!

The Problem with Star Wars would be any movie would have to have some degree of connection to the Force, and it would also have to have some connection to a Empire/New Order as far as Storm Trooper type Force.

So by the same Token... the ALIEN Franchise would always be expected to be about the Xenomorph, or at very least similar... i think a Alien Covenant with Neomorphs would have been fine.... leave the Xenomorph for a sequel.. or Cliff Hanger  but we had that with the Deacon and that disappointed people with Prometheus.. 

IF we had a Fifield that was more Xenomorph Hybrid and then the Crew was attacked by another different Monster that Chest Busted from Milburn, then i am sure that would have been sufficient...

You would still get some fans who would be displeased we have NO Xenomorph though, and to a lesser extent NO Ripley either... but thats Life!

The same would be said if a Star Wars movie did not contain at least 2 out of these 3 elements...   Force/Force Users, Storm Troopers/Empire or similar and Classic Characters or Characters who are connected to them!

One of those and it would get a lot of Criticism, NONE and it could Bomb!

Ridley Scott saw the Franchise had to be more than just about Ripley and the Xenomorph, seeing Space Jockey/Engineers and Mankind as being more important...

But as i said, a Star Wars movie would require more of those Tropes Listed above as far as Disney seeing this is what would MAKE MONEY.... and by the same Virtue they would see the Xenomorph and Ripley Tropes as being needed to MAKE MONEY for the Alien Franchise.

IF we see Ridley Scotts TV show Raised by Wolves do well, and gets praised, and IF his Merlin likewise does well, then i guess there is the OPTION for Disney to discus the Future of the Alien Franchise, but i think RS would have to make just as many (if not more) Compromises as he had to for the Prometheus Sequel

"green light another alien project or more projects - films/tv series/streaming."

Financially YES i think there is quite a bit you could do with the Franchise that does-not even have to be about Ripley, Xenomorphs, that Zeta 2 System and Engineers.

Indeed a TV Series/Streaming would not be that expensive, and if it does-not revolve around the events of Prometheus/Alien and Xenomorphs or Engineers then Financially it would be Cheaper to Create due to NOT needing such Special Effects to bring the Alien Monsters/Races to Screen.

I think the Problem is Marketing.... if we have a Spin Off that does-not carry the ALIEN name, then maybe people would not know it is in the same universe, maybe it would attract less attention... so the ALIEN Prefix is a Marketing Ploy to Attract more to go and see and find out what any such TV/Streaming Show would be about.

But with such a ALIEN Prefix, then some Fans or casual viewers are going to be asking, HOW does this connect to ALIEN, where is the Xenomorph and Ripley... so a ALIEN Prefix is Cursed/Shackled to having the expectation for those things.

A Example is the Alien Covenant Origins Novel... which was about the Covenant Mission and NOT about Xenomorph Origins which some may have thought it was/should be about.  It should have maybe been called COVENANT... then under have the secondary title  A Alien Covenant Prequel.

Even the Cover was Misleading...

Where as something like this would have been more fitting.

But while those who know of Alien Covenant may know the connection or about the Book, they often mislead us with Titles and Posters... This was a Prime Example below, just to HOOK people into paying up to see it.

"The path to paradise begins in hell."

Again that also misleads us....

I think that there is potential to explore more in the Franchise, that does-not have to revolve around Xenomorphs and Ripley, i could mention a number of things they could do... but its going to be  a case of USE the ALIEN Prefix to draw more attention and make more Money, but then have people disappointed and expect more Xenomorph/Ripley connections..  or NOT use the Prefix of ALIEN at the risk of some Fans not being aware there is a Alien Universe Spin off?

A snap-shot from the intro menu/s of the PROMETHEUS Blue-Ray... This is how I feel a WEYLAND and/or ALIEN-based TV show would be like in the intro credits...

(It originally said WEYLAND CORP, I Photoshopped-out the "Corp" part in favor of just the: WEYLAND name & logo & added: "Building Better Worlds" at the top)

I certainly think there is potential to explore a Weyland TV Show, and having the Show simply Called WEYLAND could work, maybe have a secondary Title depending on what the TV Show will cover... its most Famous Motto was Building Better Worlds which maybe would suit a TV Show that would be about the Space Exploration and Terra-forming of Worlds.

Things to take not with the Weyland kind of angle, would be do we cover a younger Weyland and what he achieved and his Company which include.

*Medical Advancements in both Technology to perform Procedures and Diagnose, and also in terms of Medicine/Vaccines and Genetic Engineering to reduce, cure and Eliminate various Genetic Ailments, Disabilities and Viruses.  Maybe also including Artificially Creating Organs or ways to decrease Organ Damage/Degrading.

*Genetic Engineering and Technology for the Food Sector.  Such as better ways to Grow Crops/Fruit/Vegetables both on Earth but on other Worlds.

*Robotic and Machine Advancements.. which include various AI implementations inc Software/Computer Systems and Robots/Machines, not limited to maybe Cybernetic Limbs or Enhancements that could be used for MILITARY but also for Rehabilitating Injuries such as lose of Limbs etc.

*Technical Advancements to the Transport Industry, not limited to Advanced Vehicle's for the Economic Sector, but Public and Recreation too, Planes (other Flying Craft), Cars, Trains, Boats etc.

*Space Exploration and Technology, which include Space Ships, Rockets, Space Stations.

*Terra-forming/Building Better Worlds which can encompass a whole manner of Technological Advancements.

*Military Advancement the use of various Advancements from above to AID with the Military.

Plus other Possible things...

We discover that Weyland may have a Agenda behind such Advancements in the Hope of Extending his Life-Span.

We can cover conflicts with the Yutani Company who are also Rivals in various industries, but it seems that the follow are a Main Area of interest for Yutani.

*Telecommunications, Networking and Espionage. 

*Computing and AI, include Robotics. (a Major Rivalry to Weylands Projects).

*Military Advancements.

So a Weyland TV show could cover a number of things, and would be better suited to cover the Rivalry between Weyland and Yutani.    A show would NOT have to feature Weyland, or David not even in any Cameos

It would depend on the Time-Line as far as WHAT we could be covering, because we have KEY Time-Line points from a Young Weyland and when the Company is Starting Up, to the Point they become a Big Player which is around the 2020's  to when they become a even Bigger Player in Space Travel and Building Better Worlds which is likely around the 2060's and 2070's

Right to the point when Weyland is hitting his Older Age in the 2080's

These are all before any Merger.... the Disappearance of Peter Weyland in 2093 would trigger events that would eventually lead to a Merger of the Company some 6 years after the Disappearance of the Prometheus.

I think the History and Lead-up to the MERGER is certainly a Important/Untold part of the Franchise.

This is awesome content & ideas You're providing here Man! LOVE IT! Just what kind of themes & ideas I was thinking of too!

GREAT!

He (Scott) could be a producer but he should stay away from the story. Maybe Scott will not be involved at all but I can not say that it would be a disaster to me if that would be the case. I agree with Hypernova that they should try new writers and see what they can do. The mini series if that becomes a reality, short-films or what ever could be interesting, I would rather have that than another movie about David.

There are other things than androids, Xenos, and that so why not. Maybe a bit about WY could work as long as they do not reveal everything because there should be some mystery left but they need good writers and keep Scott away from the story. As long as they get the characters right I am interested in something new but don’t lay all the focus on the androids.

As far as to tie it to alien you just have to call it X – an Alien-spin-off, and there you have it.