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FX’s Alien series has the green light: Release update, cast and what to know

By Michael Weyer

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Noah Hawley attends FX's "Fargo" Year 5 Premiere at Nya Studios on November 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Noah Hawley attends FX's "Fargo" Year 5 Premiere at Nya Studios on November 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage) /
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They say in space, no one can hear you scream. As it happens, there will be plenty of screaming over the news of FX’s new Alien series. Here’s what we know about the project!

In 1979, Ridley Scott changed cinema with Alien. The now-iconic sci-fi horror movie focused on Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), a member of a space crew who brings aboard an egg that hatches into a deadly alien (later named the Xenomorph) who goes on a rampage.

The movie was a hit, and in 1986, James Cameron released the first sequel, Aliens, which was a fantastic action adventure. Since then, there have been numerous sequels and prequels, none quite reaching the bar of the first two films, and that’s not counting the crossovers with the Predator franchise.

Now, FX is finally getting underway with the long-buzzed-about series based on the films. So what’s it about, and who stars?

What is the Alien TV series about?

Planned since 2020 with Scott as executive producer and Noah Hawley as writer/director, the series is supposed to be set about 70 years in the future and, in a first for the franchise, will be on Earth. Plot developments are so far under wraps, but it sounds like it will explore the origins of the Wayland Corporation and the events leading to the space journeys that uncover the Xenomorphs.

Who stars in Alien?

The show has just confirmed its final cast with Sydney Chandler as the lead character Wendy, described as “a meta-human who has the body of an adult and consciousness of a child.” Alex Lawther plays CJ, a soldier with Timothy Olyphant as one of the android synths mentoring Wendy. So far, FX is being coy on who the actors play to keep the plot developments quiet.

  • Sydney Chandler as Wendy
  • Alex Lawther as CJ
  • Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier
  • Adarsh Gourav as Slightly
  • Kit Young as Tootles
  • Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh
  • David Rysdahl
  • Babou Ceesay
  • Jonathan Ajayi
  • Erana James
  • Lily Newmark
  • Diêm Camille
  • Adrian Edmondson

When will FX’s Alien series premiere?

Production on the show was delayed in 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It got back underway in July of 2023 with special waivers from the SAG strike due to the British Equity actors. However, after some backlash, production was suspended in August.

It looks to be getting back on track, with Hawley telling The Wrap he hoped to have production wrapped up in the first half of 2024.

"“The plan right now is to go back in January and be shooting in February, and looks like shoot until July or so, which puts the air date somewhere in the first half of ’25. “I was able to complete filming most of the first hour. That said, I wasn’t able to film anything with my star. So I still have the bulk of the show to film, and we have seven more hours to shoot.”"

So it’s unlikely the show will premiere before 2025 as even with filming completed, there will be a lot of post-production work. That will be after the planned Alien: Romulus movie comes out in 2024, so expect a lot of space content to try and revive the famed franchise further.

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Alien and Aliens is streaming on Hulu.

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