How Ridley Scott blended philosophical sci-fi with the visceral horror of the original Alien

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Alien: Covenant, the 2017 sequel to Prometheus, follows a colony ship crew encountering a sinister, uncharted planet. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film attempts to bridge the gap between the philosophical questions of its predecessor and the terrifying, organic creature-horror that defined the franchise's origins.

Released in 2017, Alien: Covenant serves as the sixth installment in the Alien series. The narrative centers on the spaceship Covenant, which is transporting 2,000 colonists and 1,140 embryos to Origae-6 in 2104. After a stellar shockwave forces an emergency landing on an unknown planet, the crew discovers the remnants of the Prometheus expedition and the android David, who has been conducting dark experiments with a lethal pathogen.

The production sought to evolve the franchise's aesthetic. While early films relied on the biomechanical designs of H.R. Giger, director Ridley Scott pushed for a more organic look in Covenant. To achieve this, the design team consulted anatomical studies from the La Specola museum in Florence and worked with consultants from the San Diego Zoo. The film utilized a mix of practical animatronics—built by Odd Studios and Creature NFX Workshop—and digital effects from vendors like Animal Logic and MPC.

Filming was a global effort, with principal photography occurring between April and July 2016. Locations included Milford Sound in New Zealand and Leavesden Studios in England, with the production benefiting from significant government grants in Australia. Despite generally positive reviews, the film underperformed financially, grossing $240 million against a production budget that ranged between $97 million and $111 million.

The film’s structure was a point of intense focus during post-production. Editor Pietro Scalia noted the difficulty of balancing the dual plot lines—the horror of the xenomorphs and the philosophical arc of the androids. By trimming over twenty minutes from the initial 2-hour and 23-minute cut, the team aimed to maintain momentum, ultimately delivering a story that explores the hubris of creators and the potential for artificial life to surpass its makers.

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