Some intriguing concept art has turned up online today, allegedly from a now-defunct Alien project that was being developed by District 9 and Elysium‘s Neill Blomkamp.
“[T]his has nothing to do with the studio,” was posted by an unverified account. “…They didn’t really even know I was working on it.”
The images, which you can check out below, appear to be for a project that was titled (at least temporarily) Alien Xeno. It is currently unknown whether or not the plan was to develop the story as a film, video game, graphic novel or something else entirely. The images feature the likeness of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley as well as that of Michael Biehn’s Corporal Dwayne Hicks alongside an Alien Queen, a Xenomorph-style space helmet, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation and much more.
Although it’s hardly proof of the veracity of the accounts, Blomkamp is a decided fan of the Alien franchise.
“My favorite film of all time is ‘Aliens’. Period. James Cameron’s ‘Aliens,’” Blomkamp told ComingSoon.net back in 2013, shortly before his Elysium hit theaters. “What ‘Elysium’ doesn’t have that I’d like to put into the next film is slime and eggs. It’s missing slime and eggs.”
Blomkamp’s next, Chappie, hits theaters on March 6, 2015 and stars Weaver alongside Hugh Jackman, Sharlto Copley and Dev Patel.
UPDATE: Two more images have just been posted, offering another look at a scarred Corporal Hicks and at the design for a new type of alien creature and its egg. The account also says that the art arrives courtesy of Geoffroy Thoorens, whose official site can be viewed right here.
