Alien Prequel Catches Two More Talents in Its Tractor-Beam
Wed, October 20, 2010 
With all these big names being bantered about for Ridley Scott's Alien prequel, perhaps my pessimism isn't justified here. Wouldn't be the first time, but this is one of those flicks that's just going to have to win me over. And you know what, maybe it will.
But the notion of filling in the blanks for bits like the space-jockey sounds silly to me. If Fox is so Hell-bent on chugging this universe along, go the route of Universal with the Jason Bourne franchise and begin sometime after Alien: Resurrection and go from there with new characters.
So anyway it looks like we're getting the damn prequel regardless of my (or your) preference. Bloody-Disgusting reports two additional names are in the "interested" category of joining the production – Anne Hathaway and James Franco.
Now Franco's a solid character-actor and loveable odd-ball. There's just no gage of what movies he'll pick, and, for me at least, that’s part of his appeal/charm. Thing is he's already partaken in a high-profile "prequel to a decades-old sci-fi classic" sub-genre with Caesar: Rise of the Apes. Is he trying to test his batting average?
Hathaway, on the other hand, has been careful with her filmography since leaving behind the Princess Diary franchise that first made her a star (I still think she'll wind up headlining a third installment in a couple of years). For the most part, she's made the right choices (Brokeback Mountain, The Devil Wears Prada, Rachel Getting Married, Get Smart). It's like my issue/concern with Natalie Portman. It doesn't seem like a good career move to get into the prequel business.
But again maybe I’m wrong and the movie will kick all kinds of ass.
Reader Comments (2)
I'll see any movie Anne Hathaway is in. It's safe to say there won't be a Bride Wars II, so that makes me more happy.
I'm also glad you liked her in Jonathan Demme's picture from a few years ago. She got a lot of attention for Get Smart (rightfully so) but she was outstanding (if underrated) in 'Rachael Getting Married'.
James Franco---? Hmmmm. I'm okay with it if happens. You cite Planet Of The Apes as a possible crutch, but scheduling aside, I disagree. Heck, if he's in Ape makeup in Planet, that helps all the more. No seriously, though-- other actors have shown up in genre films. It's just another acting role. Shit, Franco even took a role on a soap. He'll try just about anything, aside from being shot out of a circus cannon. Or did he...already do that?
:)
I'm with you, Jamie. The Space Jockey is like the Clone Wars. Some things are better left to the imagination.