Summary

FX’s Alien television series has halted production in Thailand due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, but the crew is still preparing sets for when shooting resumes. Despite the strike, Alien has been filming without SAG-AFTRA members and has recently added Kit Young to the cast as a character named Tootles. The series, set on Earth in the near future, explores themes of environmentalism, governance, and technology, while also delving into the conflict between the primordial past and artificial intelligence.

As reported by ComicBook.com, FX’s upcoming Alien television series has fully shut down production as the SAG-AFTRA strike continues on.

According to the outlet, a recent report revealed that the FX series has suspended its production in Thailand and Alien cast members were sent home last Friday. Still, this pause was allegedly already planned, and the crew are expected to continue working on and preparing the sets so the actors can resume shooting the TV series once the strike ends.

Previously, it was reported that Alien was expected to continue filming the series despite the ongoing strike as the majority of its cast are international actors, with only two of the main cast being members of SAG-AFTRA. For that reason, Alien has spent the last month shooting the series without its SAG-AFTRA members.

Additionally, Deadline recently revealed that Shadow and Bone star Kit Young has been added to the Alien cast and will play a character named Tootles.

The FX series will be a prequel to the film franchise is being developed by Legion creator Noah Hawley. Members of the cast will include Ales Lawther as CJ, Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier, Essie Davis as Dame Silvia, Adarsh Gourav as Slightly, and Sydney Chandler in a yet to be revealed role.

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John Landgraf Previously Said the Upcoming Series Will Be “the First Story in the Alien Franchise That Takes Place on Earth”
20th Century Fox

Previously, while chatting about the series, FX CEO John Landgraf told reporters:

“It’s the first story in the Alien franchise that takes place on Earth. It takes place on our planet, near the end of this century we’re currently in — 70-odd years from now. I hope they will feel like it’s faithful to the franchise they love but also a brave and original reinvention of that franchise.”Setting it on Earth is really interesting. We have to think forward about the future of the planet in terms of the environment, governance, technology and create and design a version of the planet in the future … Noah wants to do that in a distinctive and original way.”

Additionally, back in 2022, Hawley spoke to Esquire about the upcoming FX series. The Fargo director stated, “It’s set on Earth of the future. At this moment, I describe that as Edison versus Westinghouse versus Tesla. Someone’s going to monopolize electricity. We just don’t know which one it is … In the movies, we have this Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which is clearly also developing artificial intelligence-but what if there are other companies trying to look at immortality in a different way, with cyborg enhancements or transhuman downloads? Which of those technologies is going to win?”

Hawley went on to say, “Alien is a fascinating story because it’s not just a monster movie; it’s about how we’re trapped between the primordial past and the artificial intelligence of our future, where both trying to kill us…”

The Lucy in the Sky director continued, “As Sigourney Weaver said in that second movie, ‘I don’t know which species is worse. At least they don’t f*** each other over for a percentage.’ Even if the show was 60% of the best horror-action on the planet, there’s still 40% where we have to ask, ‘What are we talking about it, beneath it all?’ Thematically, it has to be interesting. It’s humbling to get to play with the iconography of this world.”