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We’re creeping ever so closer to the end of the week, here’s your round-up of entertainment headlines for this morning!

– While on the press tour for his new film, Chappie; Neill Blomkamp has, to no one’s surprise, been receiving a number of questions about his recently announced Alien sequel. Having Sigourney Weaver on-hand as a part of the Chappie cast likely provided additional temptation in that regard. SkyMovies (via Collider) got some pretty great details out of him in a recent interview, where he discussed the continuity of the new film:

I want this film to feel like it is literally the genetic sibling of Aliens, so it’s Alien, Aliens and then this film.

From the sounds of things, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection are being wiped from continuity, which I have mixed feelings about if that is indeed how things play out. It didn’t quite work for Superman Returns, and I’d be worried that it might lead to confusion here.

Blomkamp continued:

It’s a Freudian nightmare. That element to me is what is so appealing; to put the audience on the edge of their seat the whole time in a traditional, monster-stalking-you, dark-corridor-way. I love that. And then when you mix in all of the deign elements and the life cycle of the alien, it’s a powder keg of creativity for me.

Weaver also chimed in, basically confirming her involvement and the return of Ripley:

I would love to take Ripley out of sort of orbiting around in space and give a proper finish to what was such an excellent story. So when someone like Neill Blomkamp said, ‘Well, I’m interested in finishing the story,’ my little ears perked up… I think it’s a great series. It deserves a proper ending—I know the fans would love that.

– Empire has some new photos of Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell from Fantastic Four:

CBM has also pulled together the interview that features in that issue with director Josh Trank.

– Empire also brings us new Spectre images featuring Dave Bautista as henchman Mr. Hinx:

Bautista had this to say about taking on the role:

When I came over to meet Sam [Mendes], I only asked two questions. I asked him if Mr. Hinx was a badass. He said, ‘Yes, he’s a badass.’ I said, ‘Well, is Mr. Hinx intelligent?’ He said, ‘Very.’ That’s what I like about Mr. Hinx. He’s very well-dressed and very well-mannered. I’m not just here to fight people. He has a sense of humour. He definitely knows what a metaphor is.

Lea Seydoux also spoke to her new character, Dr. Madeleine Swann, seen below:

I don’t consider myself a Bond girl. I think I’m not really the stereotyped Bond girl. I feel quite different. You can’t be like, ‘Oh, James.’ You have to find something else. She’s not a fighter, she’s a doctor. She fights in another way.

The production team has also released another video featuring Sam Mendes elaborating on why he returned for another Bond film:

– Lastly, Steven Markus and Christopher McFeely spoke with Entertainment Weekly (spoilers at the link) about Agent Carter‘s finale, indicating that if a Season 2 were to happen they’d like to focus on Peggy’s background further:

MARKUS: When we were figuring out the show and the backstory of the show, we had a really nice story about who Peggy is and where she came from. We just didn’t have any time. I would love to tell that story.

MCFEELY: That’s one of our strongest ideas for the second season: What makes Peggy, Peggy? We like what Peggy is, but if you ask some hard questions, you might wonder: but why is she that way? We have some thoughts on that.

Sadly, the future of the series is in doubt given its ratings struggle. This week’s finale only pulled a 1.3 in the 18-49 demo, which on ABC is not a good sign.

Right at the crack of the New Year, Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium) teased fans with his concept designs for a proposed Alien sequel that he was playing around with.

Apparently, executives at 20th Century Fox were so taken with his work, and fan response to it, that they’ve hired him to direct the next Alien film per Variety.

According to other sources at The Wrap, this new film will take place after Prometheus 2, which is still going into production under Ridley Scott. Scott will produce Blomkamp’s Alien feature.

While there’s no script in place yet, Blomkamp was on the record as hoping to work with original Alien franchise star Sigourney Weaver. Additionally, Michael Biehn may also play a part in the project given his character’s (Hicks) appearance in Blomkamp’s team’s concept art.

This project may very well be the first film to be prompted over Instagram.

And how many more times can I write about Instagram this week?

Blomkamp’s new film, Chappie, starring Hugh Jackman and Sharlto Copley opens on March 6th.

What say you? Does this new Alien film get you excited for the continued life of the franchise? For my part, I love the original film, the second slightly less so, the rest are not films of which I have a high opinion. Though, I do think that Alien 3 and Prometheus both are conceptually engaging in places.

Here’s a fun little “what if..?” to start off your new year. The mastermind behind the Academy Award nominated District 9 and the less well regarded Elysium was secretly working on his own version of an Alien sequel, at least at the conceptual stage.

Blomkamp took to Twitter, via an unverified account, last night and posted a series of images that gave some hints as to where he would take the franchise if ever given the opportunity.

Here are the images he posted along with the above Xenomorph:

It should be noted though that Blomkamp stated that he was not working with 20th Century Fox in any way with this project. To that end, its basically really well designed fan-fiction, but the possibilities of one of the more interesting current sci-fi filmmakers hoping on board a series with a history of pretty great directors (awful Predator crossovers aside) certainly makes the mind reel.

Plus, in Blomkamp’s version, Hicks would still be alive!