Ridley Scott reveals he was the FIFTH choice to direct Alien as M*A*S*H filmmaker Robert Altman was first asked to make the sci-fi classic
Sir Ridley Scott has revealed he was the fifth choice to direct Alien.
The director, 83, became a household name thanks to the 1979 sci-fi classic, starring Sigourney Weaver, but admitted to The Guardian’s G2 Magazine on Wednesday that M*A*S*H filmmaker Robert Altman was the first to be asked to make it.
Reflecting on the iconic film, he told the publication: ‘I was fifth choice, by the way. I wasn’t first choice, I was fifth choice to direct Alien.’
Interesting fact: Ridley Scott revealed in an interview on Wednesday he was the fifth choice to direct Alien as M*A*S*H filmmaker Robert Altman was first asked to make the sci-fi classic
Explaining how the Nashville director was approached first, he hit out: ‘But, if you’re stupid enough to ask Altman to direct a science fiction…
‘He just said, “What? You’re kidding me? Give me a break. Are you out of your f***ing mind?”‘
Ridley’s Alien spawned a slew of sequels, Aliens in 1986, Alien 3 in 1992, and Alien: Ressurection in 1997, which were directed by James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet respectively.
He then returned to the franchise in 2012 to create prequel Prometheus, which he followed up with Alien: Covenant in 2017.
Shock: Reflecting on the iconic film, which starred Sigourney Weaver (pictured), he said: ‘I was fifth choice, by the way. I wasn’t first choice, I was fifth choice to direct Alien’
Candid: Detailing the Nashville director’s (pictured in 2006) response, he said: ‘If you’re stupid enough to ask Altman to direct a science fiction… He just said, “What? You’re kidding me?”
In September, Ridley admitted he has to ‘rethink’ the future of the Alien franchise in an interview with Forbes.
He confirmed that another movie in the series was in the works, though the direction it will take is still up in the air.
‘That’s in process. We went down a route to try and reinvent the wheel with Prometheus and Covenant.
‘Whether or not we go directly back to that is doubtful because Prometheus woke it up very well,’ he explained.
Iconic: Ridley’s Alien spawned a slew of sequels, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Ressurection, which were directed by James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet respectively
Thinking it through: In September Ridley confirmed that another movie in the series was in the works, though the direction it will take is still up in the air (pictured: still from Alien: Covenant)
The director mused aloud about whether the iconic xenomorph alien had worn out its welcome.
‘But you know, you’re asking fundamental questions like, “Has the Alien himself, the facehugger, the chestburster, have they all run out of steam? Do you have to rethink the whole bloody thing and simply use the word to franchise?” That’s always the fundamental question.’
Scott’s comments seem to indicate he’s considering moving on from the last two directly connected films, though it’s unclear if he’ll simply drop the mythology angle and go for straight horror or if he’ll come up with a completely new story set in the same universe as the Alien series.
More to come: Scott confirmed another Alien film is in the works but didn’t specify what genre he would go for (production still from Prometheus (2012) with Noomi Rapace pictured)