For the first time in the long-running sci-fi horror franchise’s history, the Alien franchise will be venturing into uncharted territory with its first-ever live-action series, courtesy of the acclaimed FX network and Legion creator Noah Hawley. Starting with Ridley Scott‘s original masterpiece from 1979, there is not a single horror fan in the universe who is not at least indirectly familiar with the iconic Xenomorph extra-terrestrial. Gone were the corny novelty scares of traditional 1960s-style aliens, the H.R. Geigher-designed monstrosity has been parodied and reproduced more times than one can count. A fitting legacy given that the Xenomorph has easily become one of horror cinema’s most iconic villains.
Of course, the only thing scarier than one Xenomorph is an entire horde of them, and that’s exactly what original film survivor Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and a crew of space marines face in the sequel, Aliens. Though less horrific and more action-packed, the James Cameron-directed follow-up is a thrillingly dark science fiction adventure that firmly established Alien as a franchise rather than a one-off. That said, the later installments didn’t maintain the same reputation as the first two movies. Alien³ was a notorious production nightmare, Alien: Resurrection was comically absurd, and the two Alien vs Predator films aren’t even considered canon. The franchise seemingly found a path to new life when Ridley Scott returned to the IP to craft a new prequel saga, starting with Prometheus. While visually stunning and far from a bad sci-fi horror film in its own right, the first prequel entry did introduce some questionable additions to the Alien continuity. Those issues continued in the sequel, Alien: Covenant. Again, not a bad movie by any stretch, but the convoluted origin for the Xenomorph did more harm than good for the formerly ambiguous creature.
After Alien: Covenant made a lukewarm impression on critics and underperformed at the box office, Ridley Scott’s prequel saga was put on ice, and the Alien franchise has mainly remained dormant since. However, the Facehugger egg that is the Alien franchise seems set to jump back into the public eye soon, following apprehensions of where the series would go after The Walt Disney Company purchased 20th Century Studios. Things are off to a good start for 20th Century’s darker characters, with the Predator prequel Prey being the best entry in the franchise in years. Alien is also set to return to the feature format with a film entry from director Fede Alvarez. Still, the prospect of an all-new television series based on Alien is also rather exciting. To find out when the ambitious new show will be bursting onto screens, as well as its cast, crew, plot details, and more, here is everything we know so far about FX’s Alien series.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on August 30.
When Is FX’s Alien Series Coming Out?
While FX and 20th Century Studios have set no official release date, Noah Hawley did suggest in 2021 that the show would likely be coming out in 2023. That timeframe now seems fairly unlikely, as the project has yet to officially begin filming at the time of this writing and likely won’t be ready until 2024 (which is also when Alvarez’s film is set to release). Full production likely won’t begin until the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are resolved, but reports have suggested that the show may begin filming with non-union-affiliated actors.
Where Can You Watch FX’s Alien Series?
Being an FX production, one would expect the upcoming Alien series to air on the channel of the same name alongside other hit shows like What We Do in the Shadows, American Horror Story, and more. Should that be the case, new episodes of the series will likely come to Hulu one day later, as with all other FX shows. However, FX has also recently released some of their shows straight to streaming, a prime example being the critically acclaimed The Bear. Either way, a release on the Hulu streaming network in some capacity is likely. Depending on when the show releases, it also may be coming to the newly merged service combining Hulu and Disney+ that The Walt Disney Company has already announced.
Who’s In the Cast of FX’s Alien Series?
The initial cast for FX’s Alien series is already looking more than promising, continuing the franchise’s reputation for stellar ensemble casts. This one starts with Essie Davis, who is best known for her compelling maternal performance in the hit indie horror marvel, The Babadook. Also attached to the cast is Alex Lawther, who is best known for his lead role in The End of the F***ing World. Lawther is also a Black Mirror alum, and another cast member of the Netflix anthology series will be in the cast with Samuel Blenkin. The series also stars Sydney Chandler, who made her feature debut not long ago in Don’t Worry Darling. Finally, the preliminary cast is rounded out by The White Tiger star Adarsh Gourav. Since we don’t yet know when FX’s Alien series takes place in the Alien timeline, we don’t know if we’ll see any legacy characters from the franchise’s past make an appearance. Still, fingers crossed that Sigourney Weaver will finally reprise her beloved role of Ellen Ripley one day.
In the latest bit of casting news for the Alien series, Shadow and Bone‘s Kit Young has been added to the cast, playing a character called Tootles. Be sure to keep an eye on this space as we bring you all the latest updates about the FX show’s cast.
Is There a Trailer for FX’s Alien Series?
With no release date in sight, fans of the franchise will have to be patient for a glimpse at what extra-terrestrial horrors are in store for FX’s Alien series.
What’s the Plot of FX’s Alien Series About?
Plot details for the first-ever live-action Alien series are largely being kept under wraps, including when it takes place. However, we do know where it takes place, and it’s a setting fans of Alien have been begging to see for a very long time. Hawley told Collider in 2021 that FX’s Alien series will be taking place on Earth, which is surprisingly a first for the franchise (again, we don’t count Alien vs. Predator). The prospect of seeing the Alien universe’s version of Earth has been something fans have wanted to see since it was teased in the marketing campaign for Alien³, with the following tagline stating, “In 1979, we discovered in space, no one can hear you scream. In 1992, we will discover, on Earth, everyone can hear you scream.” That tagline turned out to be incredibly misleading as the movie doesn’t even take place on Earth. If Hawley’s comments are any indication, FX’s Alien series may be paying off a 30-year-old promise.
Who’s Making FX’s Alien Series?
Creating the series is FX regular Noah Hawley, who has brought plenty of acclaim to the network in the past. Starting with the hit anthology series Fargo and the X-Men spin-off Legion, Hawley has repeatedly proven adept in adapting established franchises. Original Alien filmmaker Ridley Scott is also attached to the series as executive producer.
Where Can You Watch the Alien Movies?
The first four Alien films, including Alien (1979), Aliens, Alien³, and Alien: Resurrection, are available to stream on Hulu. Aliens vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem are available to stream on Starz. The prequel films Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are available to rent or buy on most VOD platforms. Click here for our guide to watching the Alien films in chronological order and by release date.
