Ridley Scott is in perhaps the best position that a director could find themselves in the current movie landscape. Not only can he get most of his movies green-lit, but he has the ability to attract the biggest of stars, charge the largest of fees, and a lifetime’s worth of goodwill to leverage. His next movie finds him returning to sci-fi, the genre with which he made his name. Scott broke out in the 1970s with the classic film Alien, which launched a franchise that he has occasionally returned to over the years. The franchise was recently injected with a fresh dose of energy by director Fede Álvarez, whose Alien: Romulus grossed $350 million worldwide and earned positive reviews. Romulus became the franchise’s second-highest-grossing hit, behind a movie that divided audiences upon release but has emerged as something of a cult hit in the years since.
According to FlixPatrol, the movie in question topped the global Netflix chart this week, nearly 15 years after its initial theatrical run. The film did well at the box office, all things considered. It made more than $400 million worldwide against a reported budget of $130 million. However, not everybody was pleased with the results. Some found the film to be too plodding and self-serious, while others felt that it was too silly. Indeed, it inspired a meme-fest online and remains highly ridiculed in certain circles. It inspired a direct sequel, Alien: Covenant, which was received slightly more enthusiastically but was less successful at the box office. Covenant grossed around $270 million worldwide against a reported budget of under $100 million. And with that, the Alien franchise went into hibernation once again until Romulus sparked renewed interest.
Here’s the Divisive Ridley Scott Movie Taking Over the Streaming Charts
However, the recent streaming success of the film we’re talking about — Prometheus — certainly proves that the audience remains interested in the series. It also proves that the cult of Prometheus is growing. Released in 2012, the movie holds a “Certified Fresh” 73% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Ridley Scott’s ambitious quasi-prequel to Alien may not answer all of its big questions, but it’s redeemed by its haunting visual grandeur and compelling performances — particularly Michael Fassbender as a fastidious android.” Scott didn’t direct another sci-fi film after Covenant, but he is returning to the genre with the upcoming The Dog Stars, featuring man-of-the-moment Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley.
You can watch Prometheus at home on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Release Date
June 8, 2012
Runtime
124 minutes