Ridley Scott confirms the next Alien movie will center on Michael Fassbender’s character David

Ridley Scott just confirmed something fans have waited years to hear. In a new interview with L.A. Times, the director revealed he’s developing a follow-up to Alien: Covenant, and this time the whole story centers on Michael Fassbender’s David. It’s a big deal for anyone who remembers Covenant‘s ending, where the android secretly took control of a colony ship carrying thousands of unsuspecting passengers.

What happens to David next

Scott says the new film picks up with David building what he calls a “brave new world for himself”. That’s a chilling idea considering how Alien: Covenant left things, with David impersonating his fellow synthetic Walter and smuggling deadly alien embryos aboard the ship.

In the interview, Scott admits he’s fascinated by the character David, describing him as a malfunctioning AI capable of real danger. He put it bluntly, saying “AIs can go off,” and when they do, it’s like a bomb going off. The sentiment connects to Scott’s interest in artificial intelligence, a theme he’s returned to throughout his career in both the Alien franchise and Blade Runner.

Why this project almost didn’t happen

This sequel very nearly stalled out entirely. Fede Álvarez, who directed the successful Alien: Romulus, had been developing this same follow-up before exiting unexpectedly. Reports point to creative differences with Scott, who reportedly wanted to keep the option of bringing David back himself rather than letting Álvarez fold the character into his own story.

Scott even seemed ready to step away from the franchise altogether last year, saying he felt he’d done enough. Now he’s reversed course completely, putting David back at the center of the story he helped build nearly a decade ago. Whether Scott ends up directing it himself or hands the reins to someone else, David’s story is far from over, and I can’t wait to see Michael Fassbender bring David back to life on screen.