James Franco will appear in Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott’s latest installment in the Alien franchise.
He confirmed the rumours in an interview with HeyUGuys. Having been asked what it’s like to be a part of such an iconic film series, he said, “The secret’s out, I guess?”
Clearly unsure about how much he could say, he responded to a question about what the series meant to him before revealing he’d watched Alien recently, adding, “It’s great to be a part of it.” He’ll be joining cast members Katherine Waterston, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir and Carmen Ejogu. Michael Fassbender, meanwhile, looks to have two roles in the follow-up to Alien prequel Prometheus – android David from the predecessor and a character named Walter.
Who will he be?
Franco’s role hasn’t yet been confirmed but there is speculation that he’ll play Katherine Waterston’s character’s husband.
The film is set 10 years after the events of Prometheus and follows the crew of a colony ship named Covenant. After discovering a planet they mistake for an uninhabited paradise, they disembark but what they find is something very different. It’s here they run into David.
Alien: Covenant will be the third Alien film to be helmed by director Ridley Scott. He directed Alien (1979) and also Prometheus (2012). The first footage seems to promise a return to the tone of the original, with Michael Fassbender quoted as saying it’s “much scarier” than Prometheus.
Alien: Covenant is due for release on 19 May, 2017.