Hulu's upcoming Alien movie reboot is said to be a clean slate for the series, and while this is a great move, the franchise shouldn't fully abandon the story of Michael Fassbender's David either. Ridley Scott had no real involvement with the Alien series beyond the first movie, and it took over 30 years for him to return with 2012's Prometheus. This project was originally a direct prequel called Alien: Engineers, which features Xenomorphs, Chestbusters and other classic elements of the series. However, Scott's feeling the central monster was "cooked" and had been rendered less than terrifying after decades of sequels and spinoffs saw the prequel evolve into more of a standalone movie.

Being a big-budget, R-rated blockbuster with some ambitious sci-fi themes, Prometheus - which changed a lot through rewrites - was a rare beast in Hollywood. The movie was highly anticipated too, though it ultimately received mixed reviews for its unlikeable heroes and plot holes. One element that was praised was Michael Fassbender's performance as David 8, the sociopathic android who is part of the mission. David returned for the 2017 sequel Alien: Covenant, which also featured the return of the Xenomorph and other classic tropes. However, this sequel was a box-office disappointment and fell victim to many of the same problems as Prometheus did on a story level.

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Alien: Covenant ended on a cliffhanger, but it was clear from the movie's overall reception the studio wouldn't be pressing ahead with further direct sequels. In the years that followed, Scott affirmed his interest in completing the David story, but Noah Hawley's Alien TV series for FX appeared to be the next chapter. However, it was confirmed in March 2022 that Fede Álvarez (Evil Dead 2013) would be helming a new Alien movie for Hulu, with Scott acting as producer. Álvarez had actually pitched Scott on his concept years prior, with the producer later contacting the director to see if he was still interested in making it. While the Alien reboot is the franchise's best move, David's story still needs resolution.

David in Alien Covenant and the Deacon in Prometheus

The Alien movies have largely been disappointing to viewers in the last two decades. Scott's prequels were divisive, while the Alien Vs Predator duology are largely considered regrettable. Covenant - which might be the best prequel - wasn't particularly well-received either, and with Álvarez's experience making claustrophobic thrillers and horror movies, he feels like a solid choice to make a stripped-down, b-movie reboot. What the movie series needs is a back-to-basics approach that reminds viewers what made the title monster so terrifying. That said, whatever the faults of the Alien prequels, David is still a great character.

Scott was establishing an epic story of creators vs created with his prequels. Flawed as his execution might be, there are still Alien fans invested in seeing the end of David's story. Even if Hulu's Alien movie proves popular, it feels doubtful another David movie will happen. That said, a limited series starring Fassbender or even offshoots like a novel or audio drama could wrap up the twisted android's journey. The Scott-produced series Raised By Wolves has covered similar thematic ground to Scott's Alien prequels, but it's hard to imagine a Fassbender fronted sci-fi series wouldn't attract interest. Plus, that might be the best way for Scott to sign off on the story he began with David in Prometheus.

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