Back in November, Cailee Spaeny became the first name attached to Fede Alvarez‘s upcoming “Alien” movie. Now Deadline has the name of her first cast mate: Isabela Merced, who adds Alvarez’s film to her bundle of other upcoming projects that includes “Madame Web” and “Turtles All The Way Down.”
What’s out there on Alvarez’s “Alien” film? Next to nothing, except that 20th Century and Scott Free are on board to produce. But Spaeny and Merced’s castings make it clear that Alvarez doesn’t plan to deviate the franchise’s penchant for leading women facing off against the xenomorphs. But the question now becomes with the two co-stars be more like Sigourney Weaver‘s Ripley or Katherine Waterston‘s Daniels from “Alien: Covenant“? (to be fair: Waterston’s performance is one of the highlights of Ridley Scott‘s messy 2017 film).
Merced’s recent work includes “Rosaline,” another 20th Century project, that’s a revisionist take on Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.” That film streams on Hulu now. She also recently starred in Warner Bros.’ remake of “Father Of The Bride” with Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan. “Turtles All The Way Down,” an adaptation of John Green‘s best-selling novel, hits HBO Max later this year. As for Sony Pictures‘ “Madame Web,” that film bows next year on February 16, 2024.
Fede Alvarez’s “Alien” film will be his first since 2018’s “The Girl In The Spider’s Web.” But since then, he also has story and executive producer credits in 2021’s “Don’t Breathe 2” and the abysmal “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” that landed on Netflix last year. Let’s hope he, 20th Century, and Scott Free cook up something better than that trash fire for their “Alien” project. Isabela Merced and Cailee Spaeny’s castings are a promising start there.
