Ridley Scott Says He’s “Done Enough” With Alien but Hopes for the Franchise’s Future

Ridley Scott, the mastermind behind the original Alien, has officially made it clear that he’s done with the franchise. After years of shaping the iconic sci-fi universe, Scott’s focus now shifts to what lies ahead for the franchise, just not with him behind the director's chair. The 87-year-old filmmaker recently shared his thoughts with ScreenRant, confirming that, while he’s still invested in the Alien universe, he’s “done enough” with the series and won’t be returning to direct another installment.Reflecting on the Alien franchise’s evolution, Scott admitted that after Alien Resurrection (1997), the series lost its spark. "I think I felt it was deadened after 4. I think mine was pretty damn good, and I think [James Cameron’s] was good, and I have to say the rest were not very good. And I thought, 'F—, that’s the end of a franchise which should be as important as bloody Star Trek or Star Wars,’ which I think is phenomenal." Scott even drew a comparison to 2001: A Space Odyssey, acknowledging the monumental significance of the first Alien movie in shaping the sci-fi genre.It’s hard to believe now, but when Scott took on Alien back in 1979, it wasn’t a guaranteed hit. The studio wasn’t even keen on having him direct. "A number of years after, I said, ‘I’m going to resurrect this,’ [and wrote] Prometheus from scratch—a blank sheet of paper. Damon Lindelof and I hammered out Prometheus. It was very present and very welcome. The audience really wanted more.” This revival continued with Alien: Covenant (2017), which Scott also helmed, though he now feels that he’s done all he can for the franchise.So what does Scott hope for the future of Alien? Though he won’t be back to direct, his hopes remain high for the direction the series will take. “Where it’s going now, I think I’ve done enough, and I just hope it goes further.”With the reaction that Alien: Romulus got, which he produced, it seems the series is still generating real excitement again. Fans have even more to look forward to with the upcoming streaming series Alien: Earth, which premieres on Hulu on August 12th. Scott is an executive producer on the series.While there were earlier reports suggesting Scott might develop another prequel movie, his recent comments leave us uncertain about the project's status. Whether it's scrapped or merely not in his directorial future, Scott’s remarks suggest the direction of the franchise will now be in the hands of others.

Jun 4, 2025 - 15:40

Ridley Scott Says He’s “Done Enough” With Alien but Hopes for the Franchise’s Future

Ridley Scott, the mastermind behind the original Alien, has officially made it clear that he’s done with the franchise. After years of shaping the iconic sci-fi universe, Scott’s focus now shifts to what lies ahead for the franchise, just not with him behind the director's chair.

The 87-year-old filmmaker recently shared his thoughts with ScreenRant, confirming that, while he’s still invested in the Alien universe, he’s “done enough” with the series and won’t be returning to direct another installment.

Reflecting on the Alien franchise’s evolution, Scott admitted that after Alien Resurrection (1997), the series lost its spark.

"I think I felt it was deadened after 4. I think mine was pretty damn good, and I think [James Cameron’s] was good, and I have to say the rest were not very good. And I thought, 'F—, that’s the end of a franchise which should be as important as bloody Star Trek or Star Wars,’ which I think is phenomenal."

Scott even drew a comparison to 2001: A Space Odyssey, acknowledging the monumental significance of the first Alien movie in shaping the sci-fi genre.

It’s hard to believe now, but when Scott took on Alien back in 1979, it wasn’t a guaranteed hit. The studio wasn’t even keen on having him direct.

"A number of years after, I said, ‘I’m going to resurrect this,’ [and wrote] Prometheus from scratch—a blank sheet of paper. Damon Lindelof and I hammered out Prometheus. It was very present and very welcome. The audience really wanted more.”

This revival continued with Alien: Covenant (2017), which Scott also helmed, though he now feels that he’s done all he can for the franchise.

So what does Scott hope for the future of Alien? Though he won’t be back to direct, his hopes remain high for the direction the series will take.

“Where it’s going now, I think I’ve done enough, and I just hope it goes further.”

With the reaction that Alien: Romulus got, which he produced, it seems the series is still generating real excitement again.

Fans have even more to look forward to with the upcoming streaming series Alien: Earth, which premieres on Hulu on August 12th. Scott is an executive producer on the series.

While there were earlier reports suggesting Scott might develop another prequel movie, his recent comments leave us uncertain about the project's status. Whether it's scrapped or merely not in his directorial future, Scott’s remarks suggest the direction of the franchise will now be in the hands of others.