'Alien' prequel to explore Ancient Astronaut theory

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

NOTE: ARTICLE CONTAINS POTENTIAL PLOT SPOILERS

Ridley Scott's forthcoming movie Prometheus - scheduled for release June 2012 - is inspired by the UFOlogical theory of 'Ancient Astronauts', the director has revealed.

Prometheus is to be a prequel of sorts to Scott's classic movie Alien (1979), which is widely regarded as one of the best sci-fi/horrors ever made and which spawned three sequels as well as the Alien Vs. Predator spin-off franchise. The alleged plot for Prometheus was leaked online recently and is described by io9.com as follows:

"Earth. Year 2058.

Archaeological digs in Africa reveal alien artifacts that humans were genetically engineered by a[n] advanced alien race (space jockeys). These “Alien Gods” also terraformed Earth in order to make it habitable for their human creations. Amongst finds are coordinates to the Alien God’s home-world, to Paradise. Months later the Weyland Corp launch the spaceship PROMETHEUS and his crew, into deep space to make first contact. Thanks to faster than light travel a few years later the PROMETHEUS enters the Zeta Riticuli [sic] star system. Humans are greeted by their makers, then transported further into space to a scary yet fascinating world. The Alien Gods are proud of their “children”, their first creation to reach such levels of intelligence.

The 'Space Jockey' of Scott's original Alien movie, as

conceptualised by H.R. Giger

As a reward they share bits of their astonishing bio-based technologies with the humans. But for one crew member of the Prometheus it’s not enough. In a treacherous act he steals the “bio-source code” to Terraforming, a technology at the origin of all Gods’ power, that could make humans equal to the gods. The Alien Gods may be scientists but are also ruthless conquerors, destroyers of worlds who will not accept humans as equals. They unleash on the escaping human crew their favorite bio-weapon, a creature used to “clean up” worlds before colonization. But something goes wrong in the process and humans manage to turn the bio-weapon against their makers. Giving birth to a smarter, nastier, bigger breed of gut eating creatures. Creatures that will be the demise of Paradise. What’s left of the Prometheus crew manages to escape the doomed planet.

On their trail a survivor Alien God in very familiar ship with one ultimate mission.

Bring the wrath of the Gods to Earth."

It should be stressed, however, that the studio behind the film - 20th Century Fox - has insisted that the above plot description is "way off" and, in an effort to quell continuing rumours, has released its own official description of the movie, which reveals almost nothing about its plot:

"Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery."

Von Daniken's 1968 book

However, recent statements from Ridley Scott himself strongly indicate that the leaked plot description may in fact be accurate. While at the CineEurope expo Scott confirmed that his film will indeed see the Weyland Corporation launch a spacecraft called Prometheus. More revealingly, Scott added:

“The (space) journey, metaphorically, is about a challenge to the gods... NASA and the Vatican agree that is almost mathematically impossible that we can be where we are today without there being a little help along the way. That’s what we’re looking at (in the film), at some of Eric van Daniken‘s [sic] ideas of how did we humans come about.”

Erich von Daniken, of course, is best known for popularising the 'Ancient Astronaut' theory, which posits that advanced extraterrestrial intelligences played an instrumental role not only in the development of human civilisation, but of the human race itself.


Such ideas already have been successfully incorporated into movie narratives (in Stargate (1994) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), for example). Now, with master sci-fi director Ridley Scott at the helm of Prometheus (Scott also directed the classic Blade Runner (1982)), Hollywood looks set to explore the Ancient Astronaut theory in its most spectacular fashion yet.