Justified and Fargo star Timothy Olyphant has reportedly joined the upcoming Alien TV series currently in development at FX, which will see him reteam with Fargo creator Noah Hawley.
Deadline first broke the news, also revealing that Olyphant is expected to play a major role as a synth who acts as a mentor to Sydney Chandler’s (Don’t Worry Darling) lead role as a meta-human with the mind of child and the body of an adult. While no other cast members have been officially locked in, Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger), Alex Lawther (Andor), Essie Davis (Assassin’s Creed), and Samuel Blenkin (The Witcher: Blood Origin) are all reported to have joined the production.
Meanwhile, details of the story remain under tight wraps. All that we know so far is that the series will take place towards the end of the 21st century, around the same time as Prometheus and a few decades before the original Alien. It will also be the first story in franchise history to take place entirely on Earth, raising questions about how exactly it will connect with the existing lore around the Xenomorphs.
Originally slated to enter production at some point this year, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes caused issues with those plans. Around an hour of footage was shot before production shut down. Filming is currently expected to resume in January 2024, which means we’re unlikely to see the final product any earlier than 2025, though no release window has been announced.
This Alien series starring Sydney Chandler and Timothy Olyphant is also separate to the new standalone film in the franchise, Alien: Romulus, which franchise creator Ridley Scott is reportedly a big fan of. That movie is being helmed by Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe director Fede Álvarez. That is currently scheduled for release on August 16, 2024.
