Why Prometheus 2 Will Be Better Than the First
Since everyone seems to be complaining or celebrating the news that Fox is pushing forward with a Prometheus sequel, I thought I would try to bring a different opinion to the table. While having Michael Fassbender (the best character of Prometheus) and Noomi Rapace return along with director Ridley Scott is good news in my book, I can understand why people may be hesitant about the return to the Alien universe. However, I think a sequel will actually end up solving several problems that existed in the first film. Spoilers for the end of Prometheus after the break!
Perhaps what I felt was the biggest weakness Prometheus had was its reliance on the Alien films. Trying too hard to create a deep, complex mythos around the original Alien ended up not allowing the film to be its own beast. Given the analytical style of presentation and storytelling, it’s no surprise that many fans quickly began picking out plot holes and inconsistencies in the script. And perhaps Damon Lindelof being “unavailable” to script the sequel will be a blessing (although I’m sure we can all figure out why he’s not returning).
Prometheus ends with David and Elizabeth casting off into space in search of humanity’s makers. This already is a great start as we’ve tossed aside much of the (sadly) unnecessary cast and are also (hopefully) leaving the Xenomorphs for others to deal with. Now, instead of fumbling around pre-existing plot-points from previous films, Scott has room to maneuver and create something new, and this is where things will improve, I believe. Let’s shed the skin of previous works and encounter new worlds, planets, and creatures! Sure, Shaw and David might still be hunting for the Engineers, but think of what you could encounter along the way. There’s plenty of room to explore.
My hope would be that they even dispose of the ‘Prometheus’ moniker and give the film its own identity, but I highly doubt that will happen (marketing, baby!). Perhaps in the end this will all fall apart and the film may never happen – these pre-production things are always at risk. But if it does go through, I think Prometheus 2 has a better chance of making something new and exciting in the science fiction realm than the original ever did. Let’s do it, Ridley.