A few months ago, Popverse noticed something interesting in the teaser trailer for FX’s Alien: Earth. In a quick shot of a Weyland-Yutani computer, they guessed the shady company was studying more than just the franchise’s well-known monster, the xenomorph—they might be researching other alien species too. And now, that guess has been confirmed.
Series creator Noah Hawley recently revealed that the upcoming horror series will indeed include multiple alien species. But that’s not all.
Thanks to Hawley, who’s worked with FX many times before, we also now know why the xenomorph won’t be showing up alone.
This detail comes from Hawley’s recent interview with Empire Magazine, published in July. In it, he explains multiple times that creating this story for TV required a different approach than making an Alien movie for the big screen.
An Alien movie is a two-hour survival story, at the end of which, if you’re lucky, one person survives […] A television show can’t be that. It has to be multiple characters with conflicts and dynamics that play out over multiple seasons.
says the Legion showrunner
(Quick side note – While FX has only officially announced one season of the sci-fi horror show, Empire does mention the rumor that there’s a five-season plan for Alien: Earth. Again, just a rumor.)
The “multiple characters with conflicts” Hawley talks about likely played a big role in his decision to feature more alien creatures than just the xenomorph. But that’s not the only reason—and it’s not just about adapting a big screen story for television.
Also Read: What the Legion Series Did for X-Men, Noah Hawley is Aiming to do it Again with Alien: Earth
According to the showrunner, one key reason for adding different extraterrestrials was to bring an element of mystery to the show’s monsters.
If I introduce these other creatures, and we don’t know how they breed […] or what they eat, or any of it, then I can make you feel that core revulsion again. Then the onus comes off the Xenomorph to carry the whole story.
concludes Hawley
As for what those “other creatures” might be like, neither Hawley nor his interviewers are giving much away. Still, we can confirm that there are five (!!) aliens planned for Alien: Earth, including the xenomorph. Fingers crossed that one of the new species ends up being some kind of apex… predator.
Alien: Earth (along with a few new species) premieres on FX and Hulu on August 12.
Source: ThePopverse