Alien Covenant Sequel Rumors Explode: Ridley Scott Hints at New Xenomorph Adventure

Eight years after its release, Ridley Scott’s 2017 pre-sequel Alien: Covenant is surging back into fan conversations—and search boxes—thanks to a swirl of fresh franchise developments, streaming availability, and lingering cliff-hanger questions about android David’s grand designs. Interest reignited when Scott recently suggested he still has a story that would “finish the prequel trilogy” he started with Prometheus and Covenant, even though the studio pressed pause on the follow-up years ago. In the same breath, however, new trade-paper interviews hint the 86-year-old filmmaker may finally be stepping away from xenomorph duty altogether, leaving the fate of Alien: Awakening—Scott’s working title for a Covenant sequel—uncertain. Fueling speculation, Michael Fassbender told ScreenRant he would “absolutely return” as David if the opportunity arises, noting his ongoing conversations with Scott about the character’s unresolved arc. The actor’s enthusiasm has fans dissecting Covenant’s final moments—David smuggling xenomorph embryos onto the USCSS Covenant—for clues about where a third chapter could go. Meanwhile, Disney’s aggressive rollout of the complete Alien catalogue on Hulu and Disney+ has lowered the barrier for newcomers to binge the timeline, creating a spike in Covenant streams that analytics firms say rivals its theatrical opening-week chatter. Social media watch parties have spun off theories connecting Covenant’s Engineer mythology to FX’s forthcoming Alien Earth series (2025) and Fede Álvarez’s theatrical reboot Alien: Romulus (Aug 2026), both of which reportedly steer clear of David yet might plant Easter eggs acknowledging him. The paradox—Scott’s trilogy blueprint versus the studio’s pivot to fresh storytellers—has energized the Covenant hashtag. Franchise historians point out that Covenant’s global box-office haul ($240 million) edged out Prometheus on home-media revenue, strengthening arguments that its bleak ending still has commercial upside if paired with today’s streaming reach. For now, insiders believe any direct sequel hinges on two variables: Romulus’ box-office performance and audience response to the Earth-set TV series. A breakout hit could justify circling back to tie up David’s arc, perhaps as an event miniseries rather than a $200 million feature. Until then, Alien: Covenant’s unresolved terror continues to operate as the franchise’s biggest open loop—and the prime catalyst driving new waves of traffic, theory videos, and midnight rewatches across the galaxy of Alien fandom.