Ridley Scott’s 1979’s Alien, written by Dan O’Bannon with creature designs by H.R. Giger, may have not blown the box office away, but it became one of the greatest science fiction and horror films of all time. It was followed up by James Cameron’s Aliens which too became a classic film. David Fincher’s Alien 3, with its troubled production, still was generally enjoyed, but then afterwards with Alien Resurrection and the Alien vs. Predator films, the franchise devolved into farce.

However, Ridley Scott returned to the franchise with Prometheus, focusing on the iconic “Space Jockey” from the first film. Though the film landed more in the Alien 3 mold (enjoyable but a miss), Scott is back with a new film, Alien Covenant. The movie has created much buzz in hopes that it will reinvigorate a beloved franchise that many felt was either in need of a fresh take on the subject or a need for a worthy end.

Michael Fassbender returns from Prometheus in a dual role which has received much praise. Will fans be given the answers about the space jockeys, the engineers, and the fates of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and the robot David? Dark Discussions takes a look at the new film, discussing where it fits into the franchise, and whether or not Ridley Scott has produced another timeless sci-fi classic.