The Fall of the Alien Prequel Trilogy: How Disney Buried Scott's Vision

_{[Cover Picture by 20th Century Studios]}

Why Disney Killed the Alien Prequel Trilogy—And What It Means for the Franchise

Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise has always been about more than just facehuggers and chestbursters—it’s been a deep dive into existential horror, corporate greed, and the terror of the unknown. When Scott decided to return to the Alien universe with Prometheus (2012), it was clear he wanted to explore something bigger: the origins of humanity, the fear of creation, and the existential dread of our own makers.

But instead of delivering a traditional Alien prequel, Prometheus took a philosophical approach, trading xenomorphs for Engineers and horror for sci-fi existentialism. While some fans appreciated its ambition, others were frustrated by its lack of direct ties to Alien and baffling character choices (remember the biologist who tried to pet the space snake?).

After Prometheus’s mixed reception, Fox pressured Scott to bring the xenomorphs back in Alien: Covenant (2017). The result? A hybrid film trying to be both a philosophical sequel and a monster movie—but failing at both. The audience wasn't sold, the box office returns were disappointing, and when Disney acquired Fox, they pulled the plug on Scott’s ambitious prequel trilogy.

So, what went wrong? Let’s break it down.

The Vision: Prometheus and the Search for Meaning

Scott’s Prometheus set out to ask deep, unsettling questions: Who created us? Why were we made? And what happens when we meet our makers? The film followed Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and the android David as they sought the truth about humanity’s origins. But instead of answers, they found only destruction—the Engineers, the supposed creators of mankind, were planning to wipe us out.

For some, this was an intriguing evolution of the Alien mythos, moving beyond traditional horror to something more cerebral. But for others, Prometheus felt like a frustrating detour that overcomplicated what was once a simple, terrifying premise: humans encounter an alien species that wants to kill them.

Despite Prometheus pulling in a respectable $400 million at the box office, it failed to become the cultural phenomenon Fox had hoped for. And that’s when the studio decided that Scott needed to “fix” things.

The Studio Intervention: Alien: Covenant and the Xenomorph Reset

Fox wanted one thing from Alien: Covenant—more Alien. Scott, however, still wanted to explore his grand themes of creation and destruction. The compromise? A movie that tried to do both—and ultimately pleased neither audience.

Gone was Shaw’s journey to the Engineers’ homeworld. Instead, Covenant introduced a new crew of space colonists who stumble upon David, now a full-blown mad scientist, experimenting on the Engineer’s corpses and creating the first xenomorphs.

The film tried to blend Prometheus’s deeper themes with old-school Alien horror, but the result felt disjointed. The philosophical elements—David’s god complex, his view of creation, and the destruction of the Engineers—were fascinating but underdeveloped. Meanwhile, the horror elements, like the reappearance of the xenomorph, felt forced, lacking the tension and build-up that made the original Alien so terrifying.

Alien: Covenant made $240 million worldwide, significantly less than Prometheus. The studio took it as a sign that Scott’s vision was not the way forward.

Disney Steps In: Why the Prequel Trilogy Was Canceled

When Disney acquired Fox in 2019, they inherited the Alien franchise. At the time, Scott had already planned a third prequel, which would have followed David as he continued his experiments—likely leading directly into the events of Alien (1979). But Disney wasn’t interested.

Why? Because from a business standpoint, Prometheus and Covenant had underperformed. They had deviated too far from what general audiences expected from an Alien film. Instead of complex themes about creation and AI, people wanted the claustrophobic terror of a xenomorph lurking in the shadows.

Disney saw Scott’s prequels as a financial risk and instead opted for safer bets—like the upcoming Alien: Romulus (which promises to be a return to the horror roots) and an Alien TV series.

Was Killing the Prequels the Right Move?

On one hand, Prometheus and Covenant were deeply flawed. Their plots were riddled with questionable character choices (why does everyone keep taking their helmets off?!), and they strayed so far from the original formula that they alienated (pun intended) many fans.

On the other hand, Scott’s prequels were bold. They weren’t just rehashing the past—they were trying to push the franchise into new, thought-provoking territory. While imperfect, they were ambitious, personal, and visually stunning.

Disney’s decision to scrap Covenant 2 was safe—but was it interesting? That’s up for debate.

The Alien Franchise's Future

The Alien prequel trilogy was Ridley Scott’s grand experiment—a deeply personal, philosophical reimagining of the franchise he created. But in Hollywood, vision doesn’t always translate to box office success. As Prometheus and Covenant struggled to balance existential horror with franchise expectations, it became clear that Scott’s vision wasn’t aligning with what studios—and audiences—wanted.

Disney’s decision to pull the plug on Scott’s Alien saga was a safe move. Instead of complex meditations on creation and AI, they’re bringing back the raw horror of the xenomorph with Alien: Romulus and a new TV series. It’s a return to what made Alien iconic—but does it risk feeling like a retread rather than an evolution?

Scott’s Alien prequels may have been divisive, but they were bold. They asked the big questions, even if they didn’t always have satisfying answers. And in a world of formulaic sequels, maybe that’s what made them special.

Stay tuned for more deep dives into sci-fi, horror, and pop culture at Woke Waves Magazine!

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