The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. Enos plays Gerry’s wife Karen Lane; Kertesz is his comrade in arms, Segen.
Imagine that’s not Brad Pitt up there, but a Paramount Pictures exec – surveying the scorched earth that resulted from the shoot of World War Z and wondering what the future holds. Just a few days ago director Marc Forster claimed that they hadn’t done that much re-shooting saying, “No, seven weeks is not correct. We shot for about four-and-a-half. Reshooting was always normal! …Our reshoots were a little more exposed in the press because we had a different ending. We felt a different ending would serve the movie better. It’s the same if you’re buying a house and you roll out a nice Persian carpet for your living room and you realize it doesn’t really fit.”
That, again, no longer seems to be the case. There’s a story hitting Vanity Fair soon about the production, a production now promises to be the stuff of Hollywood legend, and I say this based on the preview alone.
Marc Evans, president of production at Paramount, recalls seeing the initial cut for the first time, “It was, like, Wow. The ending of our movie doesn’t work. I believed in that moment we needed to reshoot the movie. We were going to have long, significant discussions to fix this.”
What did those discussions entail? READ MORE
Update: Lindelof has responded to Slashfilm. We are including his response below the jump. He sheds some interesting light on the situation – but that doesn’t change the fact that Fox and Scott have no idea what to do now in regard to Prometheus 2.
Exclusive: Watching the 18 hours of extra features on the Prometheus Blu-ray I learned that Twentieth Century Fox didn’t trust screenwriter Jon Spaihts enough to run with his script, so they hired a big name to “clean up” Spaihts’ vision. This big draw was none other than “Lost,” Cowboys & Aliens and Star Trek Into Darkness writer Damon Lindelof, pictured.
Those of you who’ve obsessed over the quasi-Alien prequel as much as I have know that Spaihts’ vision was a one-shot**, meaning Prometheus lead right into Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien. In fact, a source in pre-production at the time had leaked story details proclaiming that the movie takes place on the planet LV-426 where the elusive Space Jockey was first seen. At the finale of Prometheus, the Jockey ship that crashes is the exact same ship that Ripley and her crew discover in Alien. It’s a beautiful way to bridge the new sci-fi epic with the old one. But, if you saw Prometheus, you know that’s not what happened. The movie’s events don’t even take place on the same planet, occurring instead on LV 223 (which is ridiculous and means the Engineers are truly terrible at piloting their ships, crashing them all over the place).
Why? Greed took over.
Lindelof transformed Prometheus into a “trilogy”, thus stripping the first film’s conclusion of any meaning and setting Ridley and Fox up for disaster. This disaster was perpetuated when Lindelof announced he wouldn’t be penning the sequel. So, in short, the guy who convinced the filmmakers to make a trilogy, left them in the dust…
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.
*We expect everyone surrounding the project to deny this story. That’s standard procedure. Don’t believe ‘em.
**Twitter follower @JonSheasby pointed us to a contradiction at Empire Magazine, where Spaihts says Scott and him talked trilogy prior to Lindelof’s hiring. You can read the bits below. READ MORE
It’s been known for some time that Damon Lindelof (“Lost”, Star Trek Into Darkness) won’t be returning to script the sequel for Prometheus, and now we have an explanation as to why. This will no doubt please many of you who felt that Jon Spaihts’ original draft of the film, Alien: Engineers, was superior.
I can sort of respect his decision – he didn’t want to juggle too many things at once. He told Collider about his conversation with director Ridley Scott, “The thing about Prometheus was it was a rewrite. Jon Spaihts wrote a script and I rewrote it. And still it was a year of my life that I spent on Prometheus, kind of all in. The idea of building a sequel to it—from the ground up this time—with Ridley is tremendously exciting. But at the same time, I was like, “Well that’s probably going to be two years of my life.” I can’t do what J.J. [Abrams] does. I don’t have the capability. I’m usually very single-minded creatively. I can only be working on one thing at a time. So I said to him, “I really don’t think I could start working on this movie until I do this other stuff. And I don’t know when the other stuff is going to be done.” And he was like, “Well, okay, it’s not like I asked you anyways.” He and I are on excellent terms and it was a dream come true to work with him. But much to the delight of all the fanboys, I don’t see myself being involved in Prometheus-er.”
Head over to Collider for more. Prometheus made a good deal of money so the sequel is a somewhat high priority over at Fox. Who do you think should write it?
Wow! It’s been a long time since I’ve done this column but I think the surfacing of the script for Alien: Engineers, the original incarnation of Prometheus, is a pretty good occasion, right? Ever since the release of Prometheus over the summer there’s been intense debate between the film’s fans and its (many) detractors – would it have been better as a straight Alien prequel? Would it have made more sense? Would the characters still have been petting alien vagina snakes for no reason? I mostly liked the film, but I certainly understand some of these gripes.
We’ve always known that there are two writers on the film, Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. Many of the film’s logical shortcomings were laid at the latter’s feet, which is understandable. He was the last writer on the project. But now that Spaihts’ original draft of Alien: Engineers has surfaced we can trace the exact origins of the elements that made up Prometheus. And, true to the conceit of the film, the answers are frustrating. While there’s some cool stuff, including lots more actual Xenomorph/Alien carnage, in Alien: Engineers – it’s surprisingly close to the Prometheus we’ve come to know and love (or hate).
So now it’s time to do an in-depth breakdown of some key differences. Do they still pet the snake? Does Fifield still turn into a Zombie? Is all of the “God” stuff still in there? Does old man Weyland still show up at the end to take you out of the movie?
All is answered inside. READ MORE
Over the past few weeks I had been on the hunt for a certain screenplay, one that has now leaked online thanks to Scribd.
BY CLICKING HERE you can download and read Jon Spaihts’ “Alien: Engineers,” his original screenplay for Fox’s Alien prequel that was later rewritten by Damon Lindelof as Prometheus, the final product that’s now on home video.
Spaihts, who also penned the garbage The Darkest Hour, is said to had focused on keeping the story within the actual realm of Alien – meaning, you’ll read about facehuggers, chestbursters and all that good stuff.
While I am one of the rare few who actually enjoy Prometheus, I am still dying to see how the original story played out, and why Fox felt the need to bring in Lindelof to mix it up. We’ll report back with a “Script to Scream” soon enough…. READ MORE
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, his quasi Alien prequel, hit Blu-ray and DVD recently both in the UK and in the States. It apparently features some killer documentaries about the film’s development process from being a straight Alien prequel to its more heady end result.
About a week ago we provided you with a rundown of what original writer Jon Spaihts’ draft might have looked like had Ridley Scott put it up onscreen. And now we have a visual rendering of what a chestburster might have looked like in the film via a piece of concept art. If you’ll remember from last week’s article, the chestbursting was intended to occur during a sex scene between Shaw and Holloway. So be prepared for some male naughty bits.
Head inside for a more complete rendering of the Prometheus chestburster!! Warning – the image is a bit NSFW. READ MORE
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, his quasi Alien prequel, will be arriving on both Blu-ray and DVD this coming week on both the UK and in the States.
I found a lot to like in the film, though I can’t really argue with its many detractors. The logic is utterly nonexistent in many of the characters. Still, I liked the ideas it tried to wrestle with. And visually I thought it was stunning. But a lot of folks wished it had been much more of an Alien film (that last, brief, xenomorph tag not being enough for them). And it was! At least back in Jon Spaihts‘ original draft (before Damon Lindelof came onboard).
Head inside to check out some details on what Prometheus was like back when it had Facehuggers, Chestbursters (during sex even) and Xenomorphs. Oh, and ostensibly more character motivation! READ MORE
I loved Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, his Alien prequel that’s received quite a bit of flack for it’s inconstancies and lack of explanation. It’s hard to argue with a lot of the criticism, so I just respond with: “I don’t really give a fu, so suck it.”
Still, it’s fun to rib on the film, especially since it was penned by Damon Lindelof, the “genius” behind that “Lost” show (I’m still steaming angry).
Andy Signore & Brett Weiner feel the same way, but also hated Prometheus, which is why they’ve teamed to create the hilarious “Honest Trailer” for the film that teases: “From the creator of one of the most beloved horror sci-fi films of all time comes … this. Discover the biggest mysteries of the summer – like why they made it.”
Watch it below and then tell us, what did you think of Prometheus (arriving on home video next Tuesday)? READ MORE
I think we’re pretty much winding down on our coverage of Prometheus. But I’ve been saving this brief tidbit for last. To recap, here’s Brad’s review and David Harley’s thoughts. And if you’ve seen the movie here’s my spoiler-filled take.
Speaking of spoilers, I pulled Damon Lindelof aside for a few minutes when I was in London last week. I had some specific questions that I knew I couldn’t ask in my on-camera interview with him, so I decided to go in for a brief one on one. I was actually surprised by how forthcoming he was and my few questions were answered more thoroughly than I thought they would be.
Head inside to check it out! And, as always, make sure to write your own review as well! READ MORE
You’ve already read Brad’s review and checked out David Harley’s thoughts on Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, the quasi-Alien prequel that’s now in theaters.
The film is proving to be a commercial hit, having made $21 million dollars on Friday alone. This means a lot of you have likely seen it and are ready to talk about specific events within it, along with what works in the film and what doesn’t. So here’s where my review comes in. It’s full of spoilers and even points out a lot of things that don’t work in the film, but ultimately is certainly favorable. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I’d recommend fixing that before you read this.
“This may read like a bad review at this point, but I actually really like the movie. In fact, I almost love it. But an honest assessment of the film has to acknowledge its shortcomings if I’m going to expect you guys (or myself) to buy into any of this.”
I would love a discussion with you guys about this and I obviously welcome all dissenting comments. So please head inside for the review and feel free to comment or yell or whatever. And, as always, make sure to write your own review as well! READ MORE
Holy crap World War Z much suck, and it must suck badly. On the heels of news that Paramount Pictures has agreed to several more weeks of shooting, THR writes that screenwriter Damon Lindelof has been brought in to save Paramount’s troubled zombie movie.
The big-budget movie, in which Brad Pitt stars and is serving as one of the producers, has been troubled, and its release has been pushed from a December, 2012 release to June, 21 2013. It is now awaiting signficant reshoots. Lindelof, the “Lost” co-creator and co-author of Ridley Scott and Fox’s Prometheus, is said to be focusing on the movie’s third act. The production hopes to begin reshoots in September or October.
Z, based on the 2006 novel by Max Brooks, is intended to be a zombie picture with sociological and political overtones. It also stars Mireille Enos (“The Killing”), James Badge Dale and Anthony Mackie. Marc Forster is directing the movie, which shot last year in various European locales.
“The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. Enos plays Gerry’s wife Karen Lane; Kertesz is his comrade in arms, Segen.” READ MORE
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus opens in US theaters today and I’m suggesting you find the biggest and best screen you can to see it on. I’m posting my spoiler heavy review (for discussion purposes) later today and I urge you to read it only if you’ve seen the movie. It’s sort of a post-viewing “let’s talk.” In the meantime, you can check out Brad’s spoiler light review.
I’ve already posted an interview with Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender and my chats with Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Logan Marshall-Green. And yesterday we had a longer one on one with Ridley Scott.
Today’s interview is with Damon Lindelof and he gets in to the genesis of the project and where in the process he came onboard. He also discusses the questions the film asks (some are answered and some aren’t) and how Prometheus differs from Alien. I also have a more spoilery interview with Lindelof in which we go into greater detail on some of the film’s surprises. That’s something that will probably hit Monday.
“With ‘Prometheus,’ Scott creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.”
Prometheus is now playing. Head inside to check out the interview (and beware of mild spoilers I suppose). READ MORE
Ridley Scott, director of ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner,’ returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
For better or worse, it’s growing increasingly common to post on Ridley Scott’s Prometheus almost every day. Sometimes twice a day. Such is the glut of material that surrounds the film. But featurettes like this one – entitled “Origins” – are well worth your time. As brief as it is, it’s always a pleasure to hear Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof wax philosophical about the big idea in their Alien prequel.
“With ‘Prometheus,’ Scott creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.”
In theaters June 8, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Sean Harris, Guy Pearce, Kate Dickie, Rafe Spall, Logan Marshall-Green, Benedict Wong, Emun Elliott, Ben Foster, Patrick Wilson all star.
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