Damon Lindelof Explains What’s Going On With Prometheus 2
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Although Prometheus was one of the most polarizing movies of 2012, the science fiction Alien prequel was a huge moneymaker for Ridley Scott and Twentieth Century Fox. So when screenwriter Damon Lindelof left the project due to a scheduling conflict — Lindelof opted to work with director Brad Bird on the upcoming Tomorrowland instead — questions went unanswered about the state of the Prometheus sequel.
A new report from Bloody Disgusting suggests that Ridley Scott and Twentieth Century Fox have no idea what to do about Prometheus 2. According to the website’s insiders:
Sources close to the sequel have told Bloody Disgusting that the studio and Scott are literally ‘freaking out’ over how to continue the story of Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), and are taking pitches from basically anyone who can crack the story. While a sequel is nearly inevitable, it definitely puts it in flux, and in a state of jeopardy.
The reported “freak out” was due to Damon Lindelof’s exit, but according to /Film’s Germain Lussier, who reached out to the former Lost showrunner to clarify the reports, Lindelof says that when he was brought on to rewrite Prometheus there was a strong desire for the film “to launch off in its own way so that by the end, it would not connect directly to the original Alien, but instead run parallel to it.”
Lindelof reasserted that the main reason why he left the project was not due to the film’s quality, but rather his commitments to Brad Bird and Tomorrowland. Lindelof says:
As to whether Ridley and Fox are ‘freaking out’ about me not working on a sequel, well that’s news to me. I retain awesome relationships with both. More importantly, the idea that there aren’t many, MANY writers out there capable of taking the reins is sort of ridiculous. I did not map out a trilogy and then walk when the going got tough. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know me and doesn’t know the truth.
Whether or not Ridley Scott and Twentieth Century Fox are at a loss about how to handle Prometheus 2, there are plenty of talented and smart writers in Hollywood that would be more than capable to write the sequel film, like Lindelof suggested. Nevertheless, Prometheus 2 is a reality whether we like it or not. Let’s just hope it’s better than the original.
