Update: That was fast. Responding to the rumors which they have said are “way off,” Fox has dropped an official synopsis/logline for the film. Here it is:
Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.
In the case the headline didn’t tip you off, this post contains possible spoilers. So if you prefer not to know anything about whatever Ridley Scott may or may not be cooking up with his “Alien” prequel/spinoff “Prometheus,” stop reading here. We good? Okay, moving on.
We have to say, the lock and key under which “Prometheus” is being kept under wraps is pretty impressive. Already in the midst of shooting, there haven’t been any script leaks, cast members talking out of turn or even blurry set photos. But despite the security thus far, if io9‘s source is legit, it looks like someone finally said “fuck it” and let the cat out of the bag way early. The site has received what is a supposed plot synopsis for the film, though even they caution they feel it may be “dubious” (though that might just be because for some reason, they truly loathe the concept). Anyway, read it below:
Earth. Year 2058.
Archaeological digs in Africa reveal alien artifacts that humans were genetically engineered by a advanced alien race (space jockeys). These “Alien Gods” also terraformed Earth in order to make it habitable for their human creations. Amongst finds are coordinates to the Alien God’s home-world, to Paradise. Months later the Weyland Corp launch the spaceship PROMETHEUS and his crew, into deep space to make first contact. Thanks to faster than light travel a few years later the PROMETHEUS enters the Zeta Riticuli star system. Humans are greeted by their makers, then transported further into space to a scary yet fascinating world. The Alien Gods are proud of their “children”, their first creation to reach such levels of intelligence.
As a reward they share bits of their astonishing bio-based technologies with the humans. But for one crew member of the Prometheus it’s not enough. In a treacherous act he steals the “bio-source code” to Terraforming, a technology at the origin of all Gods’ power, that could make humans equal to the gods. The Alien Gods may be scientists but are also ruthless conquerors, destroyers of worlds who will not accept humans as equals. They unleash on the escaping human crew their favorite bio-weapon, a creature used to “clean up” worlds before colonization. But something goes wrong in the process and humans manage to turn the bio-weapon against their makers. Giving birth to a smarter, nastier, bigger breed of gut eating creatures. Creatures that will be the demise of Paradise. What’s left of the Prometheus crew manages to escape the doomed planet.
On their trail a survivor Alien God in very familiar ship with one ultimate mission.
Bring the wrath of the Gods to Earth.
So is it? Isn’t it? On the one hand, the story explains why there is so much talk about the movie sharing the DNA of “Alien” but not being exactly a direct prequel. But there seems to be more concrete info (inadvertently) from Scott himself that this might be right. Speaking recently at CineEurope where Scott, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace chatted with exhibitors about the film, he revealed that Prometheus is indeed the name of the ship in the movie and that it’s launched by the Weyland Corporation in addition to alluding to the some of the same thematic elements found above.
“The (space) journey, metaphorically, is about a challenge to the gods,” Scott said. “NASA and the Vatican agree that is almost mathematically impossible that we can be where we are today without there being a little help along the way. That’s what we’re looking at (in the film), at some of Eric van Daniken‘s ideas of how did we humans come about.”
So while this isn’t official and we’re guessing any inquiries will get ignored or firmly denied, there are enough accidental similarities between Scott’s word and this leaked synopsis that leads us to believe it may be the real deal. So the question left is: do you like it?
