We’ve followed the developments of Prometheus closely before it hit theaters last summer, and while it’s garnered mixed reviews and audience response, it’s clearly done well enough that a sequel has been in development at Fox for some time.
Surely Prometheus has enough fans that will come back for more, and perhaps its cult will grow, much like Blade Runner became a lost classic in time.
There’s many movies that are “in development,” as they say in Hollywood, that can stay stuck in what’s known as “development hell” for years, possibly forever, because getting any movie made at all is very difficult, if not impossible. So where is the follow up to Prometheus right now? Well, Collider got an update from screenwriter Damon Lindelof, who co-wrote Prometheus with John Spaihts. (Lindelof is also one of the screenwriters on Star Trek Into Darkness).
Lindelof is not writing the next Prometheus film, saying he can’t multi-task like JJ Abrams can (this was before Abrams came aboard Star Wars of course, which will put his multi-tasking skills to the test), but a report on Bloody Disgusting claims Fox and Ridley Scott “are literally freaking out over how to continue the story of Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), and are taking pitching 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.”
Slash Film asked Lindelof for a comment on this, because even though he’s not writing the screenplay, he’s close enough to the action to know what’s going on, or at least provide some damage control. Lindelof replied, in part, “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 reigns 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.”
Again, movies usually have a tough road to travel before they finally make it to the screen, and a Prometheus sequel could be having the usual production hiccups that can happen thousands of times before a movie finally gets the green light. Scott is currently wrapping up his next movie, The Counselor, and reports also have him looking at a movie about Moses called Exodus. (Not to be confused with the 1960 movie about the creation of Israel),
Fox has been hopeful for a 2014 or 2015 release for the next Prometheus film if it ever gets on track. 2015 would probably be more likely, which could make a hell of a year for genre flicks with the JJ Abrams Star Wars, The Avengers 2, and possibly another Prometheus. We’ll keep our eyes open for future developments, stay tuned…
