The Netflix Bloody Sci-Fi Thriller Prequel Leaving Soon

Prometheus takes place in the 21st century and is a prequel to Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film Alien. The film follows a crew on the titular spaceship as they seek the origins of humanity after a star map is discovered on Earth. Their mission leads them to a distant planet where they discover a dangerous alien threat.

Scott returned to direct and co-write Prometheus with Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. They were also able to put together quite an impressive cast that includes Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Charlize Theron. Fassbender is a particular standout as David the android.

If you ask fans of the Alien franchise if Prometheus is a good prequel, you’re likely going to get some mixed responses. However, that doesn’t mean that the film is bad by any means. It’s a pretty competent film overall and brings up a lot of interesting lore, though it sometimes stops short of answering the questions it poses or providing satisfying connections to the franchise overall.

What you will get with Prometheus is a beautifully designed and shot sci-fi film with incredible set design and horrifying creatures, as you might expect. You’ll also get an incredibly well-acted film with Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, and Charlize Theron. In short, if you love sci-fi then you’ll definitely enjoy the film, just don’t expect it to also be an incredibly satisfying film in the Alien sense.

Even Ridley Scott himself has said that Prometheus is sort of its own thing, saying that it “takes place in the same universe” but “explores its own mythology and ideas.” It’s an interesting approach, and critics and audiences liked the film overall, but they were also left wanting more. The film was a financial success as well, bringing in $403 million worldwide against a $120 to $130 million budget. 

While the main complaint of Prometheus was the open threads, it does seem like at least some of that was intentional. Damon Lindelof and Ridley Scott indicated that the choice was deliberate and that some questions would be answered in a sequel, which came in the form of 2017’s Alien: Covenant. While Covenant wasn’t the perfect follow-up for Prometheus, it did expand on the latter film and make it better, especially in the case of Michael Fassbender’s David character.

If you’re someone who is looking forward to checking out Alien: Romulus in theaters on August 16, 2024, it’s worth noting that it’s being billed as a standalone film in the franchise. In other words, Prometheus isn’t required viewing. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy the film if you check it out, and you might as well before it leaves Netflix on February 14.