Alien: Earth: key information
– Releasing on Hulu and Disney+ in mid-2025
– First TV show from the Alien franchise
– Multiple teaser trailers, but no full trailer yet
– Cast list confirmed, including some character names
– Plot being kept firmly under wraps
– Unknown whether there will be more seasons
Alien: Earth marks the epic sci-fi/horror franchise’s first foray onto the small screen – and it’s been a long time in the making.
First announced back in 2020, we’re nearing the finish line with FX confirming Alien: Earth will finally premiere in mid-2025. With eight movies already in the franchise, it’s time for the Xenomorphs to descend upon Earth under the watchful eye of showrunner, Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion).
Though Alien: Romulus was the last movie released, Alien: Earth is not its sequel. Bringing back the H. R. Giger’s nightmarish concept is instead focused on taking the franchise in a whole new direction.
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Fortunately, we’ve gathered a vast amount of intel, including the show’s release window, possible plot, confirmed cast, news, rumors, and more. Plus, while you wait, feel free to immerse yourself in every Alien movie ranked: worst to best.
Alien: Earth: is there a release date?
FX has confirmed that Alien: Earth is coming to Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally in mid-2025. Announced during the one of the show’s teaser trailers (seen below), it’s not a specific release date, but this at least means it’ll arrive sometime around June to September.
In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in July 2024, showrunner Noah Hawley confirmed that filming had “just wrapped” and the show was officially in the next stage: “I’m in post, editing away, and obviously there’s a large visual effects component that takes time. But I couldn’t be happier with the show we shot. If people wanted a television series based on the world of Alien, I think I’m gonna give them something special.”
And more exclusive insights into Alien: Earth were unveiled during the SXSW film festival in early March. A series of ‘recovered’ files from the USCSS Maginot for the Weyland-Yutani Corp show clips from the ship recorded on a camera attached to a cat’s collar. The files show people working on the ship, talking about going back to Earth (if they could) and a cryochamber labelled ‘Morrow’.
FX boss, John Landgraf, first announced the project back in December 2020, so having a release window is a big deal. And, the wait is almost over. When we have a confirmed date, we’ll be sure to update here.
Alien: Earth: has a trailer been released?
So far, we’ve had a few short teaser trailers of Alien: Earth which, in true Alien fashion, have been incredibly ominous and fueled by horror. In the latest, released in late January, events are shown through the eyes of an alien as it slithers frantically through the spaceship – in a sort of theme park immersive ride experience that’ll leave you feeling a little dizzy.
Fortunately, and unfortunately, it doesn’t last too long before you’re swept out of the ship to see it hurtling towards Earth. As we’ll explore more in the plot details below, and as is quite obviously suggested in the show’s title, the Xenomorphs will crash land on Earth. So, this is only the beginning.
Alien: Earth: confirmed cast
The following cast list has been officially revealed for Alien: Earth, but most of their roles are being kept under wraps:
- Sydney Chandler as Wendy
- Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh
- Alex Lawther as CJ
- Kit Young as Tootles
- Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier
- Essie Davis as Dame Silvia
- Adarsh Gourav as Slightly
- David Rysdahl as TBC
- Babou Ceesay as TBC
- Jonathan Ajayi as TBC
- Erana James as TBC
- Lily Newmark as TBC
- Diêm Camille as TBC
- Adrian Edmondson as TBC
- Moe Bar-El as TBC
- Sandra Yi Sencindiver as TBC
As reported by Variety, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) will be the lead character. It has also been revealed that she’s a meta-human, with the body of an adult, but brain and consciousness of a child. Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) is Wendy’s mentor and Sandra Yi Sencindiver’s currently unnamed character holds a high position at the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. It’s not a lot to go on, but it’s certainly starting to paint a picture.
Alien: Earth: story synopsis and rumors
Potential spoilers follow for Alien: Earth below.
We don’t know much about Alien: Earth given that its plot has been kept locked up tightly. But what we do know is that it will be set on Earth, no surprises there, in the not-so-distant future. In fact, thanks to the teaser above, it says: “In 2120 Mother Earth is expecting,” with the image of Earth a reflection in the Xenomorph’s helmet. Visiting our planet is certainly a new direction for the franchise and one that actual acts as a prequel to the original Alien movie, which took place in 2122.
And then there’s the show’s official synopsis that expands on this concept: “When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. In 2120, Mother Earth is expecting.”
Speaking to Deadline, Hawley said: “There’s something about seeing a Xenomorph in the wilds of Earth with your own eyes that is truly chilling to think of it moving here among us.” And when talking about the Xenomorph he’s created for Alien: Earth, he added: “What was really fun for me was to be able to engage with the creature and bring some of my own thoughts to its design while not touching the silhouette because that’s sacrosanct. But some of the elements of it as we know, whatever the host is, informs what the final creature is.”
As well as the Xenomorphs themselves, we also know that Weyland-Yutani will, once again, play a major part in the franchise. The conglomerate well-known for their controlling grip over space with their own bad intentions with the Xenomorphs rearing its ugly head over the course of the eight movies prior.
And FX chief John Landgraf was keen to express how Alien: Earth sets itself apart from the rest of the franchise, while still staying true to it. In an interview with THR, he explained: “All I can tell you is Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) won’t be a part of it, and neither will any other characters – other than the alien itself.”
Adding: “Noah has an incredible ability to both find a way of being faithful and showing fidelity to an original creation, like to the Coen brothers (with Fargo) or to Ridley Scott’s movie and Jame’s Cameron’s follow-up Aliens, but also to bring something new that represents both an extension and reinvention of a franchise at the same time.”
Will there be more seasons of Alien: Earth?
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Considering Alien: Earth season 1 is a little while away still, unsurprisingly news on more seasons is thin on the ground. Though there has been a report from Production Bulletin, yet unconfirmed but revealed by Comic Book Resources, that season 2 is planned for development for filming in Thailand.
And while this news is unconfirmed, Collider also reported in January 2024 that FX has disclosed to Hawley that there was more to come. Hawley said: “I knew that their desire was for a recurring series, not a limited series, and I had an idea that I was excited about, that I could see the escalation of it from one year to another.”
It seems like he’s already got an idea of where he’d like to go next too, adding: “that’s where we ended up not pitching them having a bible or pitching them blow-by-blow, but saying, “Big picture: this is the first movement, this is the second movement, and we’re ultimately going here.”
Of course, it’ll depend on viewing figures and how Alien: Earth is received, but joining part of an existing and iconic franchise is a great place to start and one that Hawley, and reportedly FX, are already eager to look into expanding.
For more Hulu-based coverage, read our guides on Only Murders in the Building season 5, Shōgun season 2, and The Bear season 4.
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