Alien: Could a possible reboot of the franchise be on the way?

Alien burst onto the scene in 1979 and set the precedent for horror-sci-fi films. After the disappointing box office returns for Alien: Covenant, it looks like Ridley Scott may not get to continue the saga in the foreseeable future. However, based on some Instagram posts from alienanthology could a franchise reboot be on the way?

Alien is a classic horror-sci-fi movie. It is right up in the pantheon of the genre along with The Exorcist and other sublime efforts. Ridley Scott became a household name after the success of the original film. However, after the disappointing box office showing of the last installment in the series, Alien: Covenant, Scott’s proposed next effort was tabled.

Just when it looked like Alien might remain dormant, Comic Book reports that alienanthology’s Instagram is suddenly active with:

"“Six motion posters that depict the Weyland-Yutani corporation partaking in horrific crimes on human outposts throughout the galaxy, bombarding them with xenomorph eggs and facehuggers.”"

If you look at the first artwork that is posted, it would appear that Amanda Ripley, Ellen’s daughter is the focus of this new series of teasers. What could this mean? Well, there are several possibilities.

At one point, in the summer, a possible television series was being discussed. While this revelation appeared to be based on rumors and conjectures, fans wondered what direction could be taken on the small screen?

Some theorized that it might follow Ridley Scott’s blueprint after Alien: Covenant to explore David’s character, the A.I. from Prometheus. There was also some thought that perhaps the Engineers would make another appearance since Scott wanted to steer away from the Xenomorphs because in his words:

"“I think the evolution of the Alien himself is nearly over.”"

If alienanthology would be teasing a new series could Amanda Ripley somehow be involved with David? Could David be behind the takeover of the human outposts by the Xenomorphs? Remember what he did to Elizabeth Shaw’s boyfriend, Charlie Holloway in Prometheus.

So, since nothing further has been reported on this subject, we can pretty much retire this option. Could they be scenes depicted from the proposed Alien: Blackout game that was also reported on by Comic Book in November?

Maybe. The posters have the feel that they could be from a video game and it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility that this could be the beginning of a campaign that could culminate in a release. But once again, nothing has been said about this from Fox.

Now, we are all aware of the reboot craze that has overtaken Hollywood lately. While there was talk about a Neill Blomkamp revival which the director shot down eventually, could Fox much like Sony with the Child’s Play franchise be looking to someone other than Scott to take the reins and reinvent the wheel so to speak?

Then again, now that Fox is merging with Disney this could be a moot point since it is well-known that the House of Mouse might stay away from edgier fare being uber aware of their brand as family-oriented entertainment.

At the risk of sounding like a purist, I would rather see a video game incarnation than a reboot of the entire Alien series. Sometimes it is better to fondly remember the greatness of a franchise than to try and recreate it which could lead to a subpar effort.

Would you be on board for a reboot of the Alien franchise? Sound off in the comments section below. We want to hear from you.