One of the hallmarks of the original 1979 Alien is that it turned a slasher into a science fiction film. Since then, the vast majority of the Alien franchise has kept the action out in space, in cramped starships, or distant worlds. With the exception of the non-canon Alien vs. Predator films, what makes Alien specific is that it’s not a story about alien invasion, per se, but instead about humans encountering a “perfect organism” capable of non-stop brutality out in the cosmos.
But now, 13 years after the prequel film Prometheus, the Alien franchise is presenting another prequel to the whole face-hugging mess, and this time, it’s completely flipping the script on how and where the action takes place. Here’s how the new TV series Alien: Earth is getting cozy with the classic Alien timeline, but also totally changing the direction of the franchise.
