First look at Fede Alvarez's Alien movie is a facehugging delight

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Behind the scenes Alien image features one extremely clingy facehugger

Alien Covenant
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

The first look at Fede Alvarez’s new Alien movie has been released to celebrate Alien Day – and it features a familiar and terrifying threat.

Alvarez, who directed 2013’s Evil Dead and cult horror thriller Don’t Breathe, took to Twitter to reveal a glimpse from behind the scenes, including an airlock interior and the iconic facehugger with its clutches on a clapper board.

Cailee Spaenym, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu will star in the new Alien movie, though we know very little about what’s lurking around the corner in the untitled release.

The Hollywood Reporter indicated that the movie – the ninth in the Alien franchise – would move away from its military-leaning exploits and, instead, "focus on a group of young people" who are hunted by a Xenomorph on a distant colony. Ridley Scott, who directed the original Alien, is on producing duties.

Fans of the series will also be keenly aware that an FX series, set decades before Ripley set foot on the Nostromo, is also in the works – and will begin filming this year.

Sigourney Weaver, who played Ripley, has no intention of rejoining the Alien franchise, however.

She told Total Film for its new issue (out today): "There are all kinds of younger actors taking this kind of role. And there was an Alien [film] that I really wanted to do with Neill Blomkamp and we didn’t get to do that, but, you know, that ship has sailed. I’m very happy doing what I’m doing. I put in my time in space!"

For more on things that go bump in the night, check out the new horror movies coming your way very soon.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.