I'm encouraged by this bit from an interview linked earlier:Mr. Ned wrote:This really looks fantastic, and has the potential to usurp the title of most anticipated blockbuster from Nolan's Rises this summer. There are a couple elements that give me trepidation, though.
First, the cross-cultural message about the extra-terrestrials found in glyphs/symbols, which presumes some sort of holistic theory of origin for human culture. This whole bit has staggering similarities to Dan O'Bannon's first script for Alien, which included a pyramid structure fraught with glyphs and vases, not unlike those scene in the derelict craft in the trailer. AvP gleaned some of these elements from O'Bannon's original ideas, but I expect Scott will not even acknowledge that film. It appears these "higher" beings have some control over biological growth and the creation of life forms -- and there's a lot potential to intertwine these issues with Alien in an oblique and indirect way. The significance of Prometheus doesn't seem lost on Scott at all.
The set design, cast, etc. looks great, but I hope the film doesn't get clouded by blockbuster aesthetics: rousing Wagnerian soundtracks, too much CGI, etc. It's hard to discern what the film will cater to. Right now, it appears as if it's an Alien/Aliens hybrid with 21st century techniques; and that has great potential -- to be excellent or very disappointing.
If it's as intelligent as it's being touted by Ridley and Damon here, I suspect it'll be as perfect a melding of summer blockbuster with very smart science-fiction ideas and concepts that in part have roots in what came before with Alien, but also explore ideas and concepts more at home with more cerebral fare like 2001 and Solaris.Beaks: What's exciting about Prometheus to me is that it feels, on one level, like you're using the bait of Alien to bring people into a smart science-fiction film they might otherwise avoid if they didn't suspect it was connected to a popular franchise.
Sir Ridley Scott: That's a good way of putting it.
Lindelof: It's feels a little more manipulative than we would put it probably, but it's not the most unfair characterization.
Scott: The very loose target was that nineteen months ago. Then what happened was you get an idea, which is the starting spec, and the evolution occurs. It just moved further and further away from that original thought that you specified. It has nothing to do with that now. It begs much larger, more interesting questions.
