(Image source: Pinterest)
Die-hard "Alien" franchise fans know that a decade ago, "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp enthusiastically announced plans to helm "Alien 5." Concept art had already been created, Sigourney Weaver had agreed to reprise her role, and a 2017 release was slated. Unfortunately, Ridley Scott, who was spearheading the prequel series, and 20th Century Fox later shifted focus, deciding to prioritize the development of the prequels, leading to "Alien 5" being shelved. Blomkamp admitted years later that this experience was a significant blow to him.
(Image source: Pinterest)
It is now widely believed that Scott intervened and halted "Alien 5" because he felt its existence would hinder the development of his prequel storyline. This common assumption has been confirmed, as Weaver recently verified Scott's interference during a Q&A Masterclass at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris.
Weaver stated that she, like many others, greatly admired Neill's talent, finding his work very striking. She mentioned having worked with him on a film called "Chappie" and enjoying the collaboration. She explained that Blomkamp had an idea to bring Ripley and Newt back to the series, with the fifth installment intended to disregard the events of "Alien 3" and "Alien Resurrection," thus allowing Newt, who was killed off at the beginning of "Alien 3," to survive. Weaver described the script as "wonderful." However, she noted that at that point, Ridley Scott seemed to become very possessive of the series, intent on focusing on developing his prequels. She concluded that this was a "disaster" for the project, and they were never able to move forward, with Neill ultimately giving up, despite his immense talent.