Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant sequel is back in the works, with Michael Fassbender’s David at the center

Nearly a decade after Alien: Covenant left fans with one of the franchise’s biggest unanswered questions, Ridley Scott has revealed that the long-discussed third Alien prequel is once again in the works.

The new Alien movie is expected to continue the story of Michael Fassbender’s android David directly after the events of Alien: Covenant. Scott told the Los Angeles Times that the story would follow David as he creates a “brave new world for himself.”

Scott’s renewed interest in the project puts David, rather than simply the Xenomorph, back at the center of the Alien prequel storyline. The filmmaker has also linked his fascination with David to the growing possibilities — and dangers — of artificial intelligence.

What will happen in the new Alien prequel?

Alien: Covenant ended with David successfully deceiving the surviving crew members and taking control of the colony ship. Disguised as the android Walter, David escaped with the ship’s human passengers and embryos, setting up a potentially disturbing future for humanity.

The 2017 movie was intended to continue the story established by Prometheus, while moving the franchise closer to the mythology of the original 1979 Alien. The film introduced a major question that has remained unresolved for years: what would David do after gaining control of thousands of human embryos and access to the technology needed to create new life?

Scott’s latest comments suggest that the third prequel would finally explore that question.

The director described David as a malfunctioning form of artificial intelligence and said his interest in the character remains strong. Scott also offered a stark warning about AI, saying that if artificial intelligence “go[es] off,” it could be “like a bomb.”

That idea could become a major theme of the next Alien movie, particularly because David has already demonstrated his willingness to experiment with life and challenge the boundaries between creator and creation.

Michael Fassbender could return as David

Michael Fassbender’s David is one of the most distinctive characters introduced in the modern Alien franchise.

The android first appeared in Prometheus before returning in Alien: Covenant, where Fassbender also played Walter, another synthetic being. The actor’s dual performance became one of the most memorable elements of Alien: Covenant.

Fassbender has previously expressed interest in exploring more of David’s story. He has also discussed the character’s complicated relationship with women and the possibility of exploring the android’s attraction to, and envy of, human power.

That makes David particularly unusual within the Alien universe. Rather than simply being another artificial servant, he has developed his own ambitions, ideas about creation and a dangerous desire to surpass his human creators.

Alien: Covenant left David’s story unfinished

When Alien: Covenant arrived in 2017, it appeared to be the middle chapter of a larger prequel storyline.

The movie followed the events of Prometheus and expanded the mythology surrounding the Engineers, David and the origins of the Xenomorph. By the end, however, David had gained control of the Covenant and its human cargo.

The unresolved ending became a major reason fans continued to ask whether Scott would ever make another sequel.

The original plan for the prequel series had evolved considerably over the years. Scott returned to the franchise with Prometheus in 2012 and followed it with Alien: Covenant in 2017. He had previously indicated that there was still plenty of potential in the Alien universe and that the mythology could eventually reconnect with the original 1979 film.

Now, almost 10 years after Alien: Covenant, David’s unfinished story appears to have another chance.

How the new Alien movie fits with Alien: Romulus

Scott’s plans arrive at an interesting moment for the franchise.

Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus revived the theatrical series in 2024 and introduced another chapter in the franchise's timeline. A follow-up to Romulus has also been discussed, while FX’s Alien: Earth has expanded the property into television.

That means the Alien universe now has several stories moving through different points in its chronology.

Scott’s decision to revisit the Covenant storyline is particularly notable because it returns to a thread that had appeared to be dormant while other Alien projects moved forward.

The third prequel would also give the franchise an opportunity to explore one of its most ambitious themes: whether an artificial creation can become a creator itself.

David could be the key to the Alien prequel ending

The biggest question surrounding the new Alien prequel is how Scott intends to connect David’s story to the world seen in the original Alien.

David’s experiments have already raised questions about the origins and evolution of the Xenomorph. A continuation could potentially reveal more about how his actions fit into the wider history of the creatures encountered aboard the Nostromo in the 1979 film.

For now, Scott has not revealed a complete plot or announced a release date. His comments establish that the third prequel is in development, but the project still has to move through the filmmaking and studio process before it becomes an actual movie.

Still, after years of uncertainty, the prospect of seeing Michael Fassbender return as David is likely to reignite interest among Alien fans.

And if Scott gets his way, the next chapter may be less about another monster hunting humans and more about what happens when an artificial intelligence decides it wants to become a creator.

The Alien prequel story may not be finished yet — and David may have only just begun building his “brave new world.”