Damon Lindelof Off PROMETHEUS Sequel

Too bad it’s not so easy to pin the worst aspects of Prometheus on Damon Lindelof without granting that many of its best aspects are likely his handiwork as well. A gorgeous film engaging big, interesting ideas, Ridley Scott’s scifi film is nearly brought to its knees by some of the most profoundly dumb plotting choices in any film this year. It’s a universe I think many are interested in seeing more from, but not at the cost of suffering through more supposed-scientist-petting-the-clearly-vicious-vagina-snake moments.

Still, it’s with some disappointment that I report Damon Lindelof has explicitly confirmed that he will not be writing a Prometheus sequel, and likely won’t be involved in any capacity aside from general spitballing of ideas at the start (which has already happened). This comes from Collider, who confirmed what had seemed likely merely because of the writer’s schedule.

So Ridley and I talked about what that other thing might be, and he was excited about doing it. But then I think what ended up happening was that the movie came out, and there was a reaction to the movie. And I got really wrapped up in Trek, and really wrapped up in this movie that I’m producing and writing with Brad Bird. And I have a TV project that I was really passionate about. Ridley and I had a meeting after Prometheus came out where we started talking again about where this journey would go. And in that meeting I said to him, unfortunately, before he could ask me and go through the discomfort of whether he was going to ask me or not… It’s sort of like having a date where you’re letting the other person know, “I’m in another relationship.” So I can’t tell you that he asked me and I said no. But I did communicate to him that I was working on these other things.

If you’re interested in the entirety of his reasoning, feel free to go check out his full answer. Essentially with the other projects going on, he admits that he “can’t do what JJ does” and juggle several projects.

Some will celebrate, but one wonders if a Prometheus sequel will now have the drive to go big with its themes? Will the scale of the ideas shrink as Scott brings on yet another writer and fixates on more gorgeous scifi adventure, now with CGI xenomorphs let loose? Obviously there are other thematically ambitious writers out there besides Lindelof- will one be brought on that can buoy Scott’s spectacle with the big scifi ideas that give these projects their beating heart?

The evil you know or the evil you don’t.