Legacy sci-fi franchise fans — roll up, roll up! We've got Alien news, we've got Predator news, and we've even got — wait for it — some Alien Vs. Predator news (well, sort of...). Earlier today, THR published an extensive new interview with 20th Century Studios head honcho Steve Asbell in celebration of the Disney-owned studio's hit-filled summer. And whilst the conversation was filled with exciting upcoming project teases (a Miss Marple movie! Speed 3! The long-awaited Master And Commander prequel!), it was Asbell's updates on the state of play with the division's future Xenomorphian and Yautjan plans.
First up, Asbell revealed that Fede Alvarez is working on ideas for an Alien: Romulus sequel already, with the hope being that stars David Jonsson and Cailee Spaeny would be in the tank for a return. "We haven’t quite closed our deal with Fede [Alvarez], but we are going to, and he has an idea that we’re working on," shared Asbell. "The two survivors, Rain and Andy [...] were real highlights of the film. And so I always think of it like, 'Wow, where do people want to see them go next?' We know there’s going to be aliens. We know there’s going to be great horror set pieces. But I fell in love with both of them and I want to see what their story is."
And as for the Predator side of the equation, the major reveal from Asbell was that not only has Prey helmsman Dan Trachtenberg just wrapped production in New Zealand on his Elle Fanning starring Badlands ("It is so nuts"), but the 10 Cloverfield Lane filmmaker has also — quite aptly — stealthily made a secret other Predator film, too. "There’s a secret Predator movie that will come out before the theatrical one but I can’t say anything about that yet," teased Asbell. But whilst the big boss wouldn't be drawn on that other Yautja film, might his reference specifically to Badlands being "a live-action Predator" film perhaps hint towards some sort of animated interquel in the offing? We shall see...
Now, we did also say that there's even some Alien Vs. Predator news, and that news is that Asbell reckons a movie starring both an alien and a predator will "probably" happen — though not in the OG AVP or Requiem vein (mercifully). "It wouldn’t be in the way you think," explains Asbell. "That’s the thing. Not in the way that it will just be called Alien vs. Predator or anything like the original movies. If we do this, they’ll be organically created out of these two franchises that we’ve continued with characters that we fall in love with and those characters will combine…perhaps." Probably... perhaps... you have our curiosity Mr Asbell — and anything new in the Alien and Predator spheres will always have our attention. Watch this space!