FX’s Alien Series Suspends Production Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike

FX’s upcoming Alien television series has now fully shut down production, amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. On Monday, a report revealed that the series has suspended its production in Thailand, with the ensemble cast of the series being sent home last Friday. The pause in production was reportedly planned, with the crew reportedly continuing to work and prepare the series’ sets, so that filming can begin as soon as possible after the strike ends. It had previously been reported that Alien would be able to continue production amid the strike, as it has a largely international ensemble and only two of its main cast members are members of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, Alien was able to continue filming for at least the past month with non-SAG-AFTRA members. Additionally, the report reveals that Shadow and Bone star Kit Young has been cast in Alien as a character named Tootles. 

“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,” FX CEO John Landgraf previously said of the series. “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.”

What Is the Alien TV Show About?

Alien is described as a prequel to the beloved film series, under the helm of Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley. The ensemble cast of the Alien series includes Sydney Chandler in an unknown role, Alex Lawther as CJ, Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier, Essie Davis as Dame Silvia, and Adarsh Gourav as Slightly. 

“It’s set on Earth of the future. At this moment, I describe that as Edison versus Westinghouse versus Tesla,” Hawley explained to Esquire back in 2022. “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?”

“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…” Hawley added. “As Sigourney Weaver said in that second movie, ‘I don’t know which species is worse. At least they don’t f-ck 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.”

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h/t: Deadline