Alien: Earth is also the first time the Xenomorphs will set foot on humanity's homeworld, as the prior Alien movies took place on spaceships or other planets.
With a cast led by Sydney Chandler as Wendy, a human child whose mind is placed in a synthetic android body, alien horrors that could threaten Earth.
Alien: Earth's cast also includes a mysterious character named Kirsh played by Timothy Olyphant, who is Wendy's trainer and mentor. Although Alien: Earth is the newest entry in the Alien franchise and the first Alien TV series, it's set at a particularly fascinating point in the overall Alien timeline. Here's when Alien: Earth is set, and how it ties into the other films in the greater Alien saga.
Alien: Earth Is Set Two Years Before The First Alien Movie
In Space, Sigourney Weaver Is Still In Cryo Sleep
Alien: Earth's new trailer confirms that Noah Hawley's series takes place in 2120 - 2 years before the events of 1979's Alien. However, Alien: Earth also seems to have a prologue showing how Wendy's mind is transferred into an android body. Wendy and her team look to be experienced professionals when the spaceship crash-lands on Earth in Alien: Earth's present-day, so Wendy's prologue may be set a few years before 2120.
I Was Excited About Alien: Earth's Monster Update, But Now I Can't Wait To See How The New Hybrid Character Tease Plays Out
Alien: Earth is about to bring the Xenomorph terror to humanity's doorstep, but the show's most intriguing creatures may have been developed on Earth.
In Alien: Earth's 2120 timeframe, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the crew of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation's freighter, Nostromo, are still in cryo-sleep en route to Earth. In 2122, the Nostromo's crew will answer a beacon from LV-426 and inadvertently bring a Xenomorph aboard, with Ripley emerging as the sole survivor who sends the alien into deep space. If Alien: Earth is a hit and continues for more seasons, the events of the TV series could become simultaneous to Ridley Scott's Alien.
At this point in the Alien timeline, Earth doesn't have a great knowledge of Xenomorphs.
Alien: Earth takes advantage of two factors that make its 2120 timeframe compelling: At this point in the timeline, Earth doesn't have a great knowledge of Xenomorphs. Prometheus' mission was a disaster that ended with nearly all lives lost, and one of the survivors, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), later died on the Engineers' homeworld. The crew of the Covenant in Alien: Covenant was also massacred by Xenomorphs. The acid-blooded Xenomorphs, and whatever other creatures are in Alien: Earth, will be a new threat that Earth isn't prepared for.
Where Alien: Earth Fits With The Entire Alien Franchise Timeline
Alien's Timeline Can Be Confusing
Alien: Earth slots in at an early point in the overall Alien timeline, which spans nearly 300 years, so far. Alien: Earth takes place two years before Alien (1979), but it is set after Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, which were Ridley Scott's 2012 and 2017 prequels exploring the origins of the Xenomorphs and the mythology of their creators, the Engineers. Prometheus is the only Alien prequel that takes place in the late 21st century, and all of the other Alien movies, except for Alien: Resurrection, are set in the 22nd century.
Alien Movie/TV Series |
In-Universe Date |
Release Date |
Director/Showrunner |
|---|---|---|---|
Prometheus |
2093 |
2012 |
Ridley Scott |
Alien: Covenant |
2104 |
2017 |
Ridley Scott |
Alien: Earth |
2120 |
2025 |
Noah Hawley |
Alien |
2122 |
1979 |
Ridley Scott |
Alien: Romulus |
2142 |
2024 |
Fede Alvarez |
Aliens |
2179 |
1986 |
James Cameron |
Alien 3 |
2179 |
1992 |
David Fincher |
Alien: Resurrection |
2381 |
1997 |
Jean-Pierre Jeunet |
Ripley's ordeal with the Xenomorphs spans four films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection, which is the only Alien movie that takes place in the 24th century. The most recent Alien movie, Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus, takes place 20 years after Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). While there will surely be callbacks, Easter eggs, and tie-ins to Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, and perhaps a hint towards Alien (1979), Alien: Earth has the freedom to take the franchise's established concepts and iconography to sow chaos in a brand-new setting: Earth.
Alien: Earth
- Release Date
- August 12, 2025
- Network
- FX, Hulu
Cast
Sydney ChandlerWendy
Alex LawtherHermit
Essie DavisDame Silvia
Adarsh GouravSlightly
