The Alien Has Landed

Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant promises a fun ride filled with stunning scenery, suspense and, yes, that creature.

- Ian Nathan

The headless corpse is spread-eagled on the ground dressed in the blood-splattered fatigues of the colony ship, Covenant. Even in the gloom of this alien passageway – “Ridley loves his corridors,” says producer Mark Huffam – you can see that blood has spurted across the tiled floor like a Jackson Pollack.

“That’ll be the handiwork of one of our friends,” Huffam deduces proudly. The crew, busily setting up a shot around the next bend, adeptly step between crimson puddles without even noticing.

The date is June 8th, 2016, and the shoot for Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott’s eagerly anticipated return to the Alien universe, is on the home straight and the body count is soaring.

In story terms, 10 years have passed since the events of Prometheus, and a brand-new crew of foolhardy space travellers are exploring new planets to colonise and to call home.

Over the course of their exploration of a seemingly-idyllic planet, things have gone from bad to unspeakably horrific for a landing party that features Billy Crudup as the edgy, newly-elected captain Oram; Demian Bichir as Sergeant Lope, redoubtable head of the ship’s security detail; and Katherine Waterston as the troubled but resourceful scientist Daniels.

Living up to the promise of the title, Alien: Covenant will reunite Scott with the iconic Alien for the first time in almost 40 years. You know the deal: elongated cranium, propelling inner jaw, scything tail, acid for blood and an unwillingness to see reason. The practical effects department have been delivering fake blood to the set in huge 200-litre drums.