As a die-hard fan of the Alien franchise who’s seen every single behind-the-scenes documentary and read countless interviews with Ridley Scott and the writers, I must say that these early drafts of Prometheus truly blow my mind! The Ultramorph, as described in Jon Spaihts’ original script, would have been a terrifying addition to the Alien universe. Can you imagine an Xenomorph towering over even the Engineers themselves? That’s some next-level horror right there!
After more than a decade since Ridley Scott’s “Alien” prequel, “Prometheus,” was first released, this philosophical science-fiction thriller continues to linger in our minds. There are numerous aspects to appreciate about the movie – an exceptional cast, an engaging storyline, and skillful direction by none other than Ridley Scott himself – but one of the most captivating elements might be the fresh alien creatures that graced the silver screen. From discovering the roots of the Xenomorphs to facing new, lethal alien perils, “Prometheus” delivers on all fronts. Subsequent films like 2024’s “Alien: Romulus” have even acknowledged the significance of “Prometheus” by incorporating key plot points from the 2012 film into their own narrative.
Looking at some of the early concept art by artists such as Ivan Manzella, David Levy, and Carlos Huante, it’s clear that “Prometheus” had the potential to be much more terrifying than what we eventually saw on screen. While it’s understandable that a prequel to “Alien” might not stray too far from its horror roots, Ridley Scott’s shift in tone suggests otherwise. From the beginning, it’s apparent that “Prometheus” aimed for something more than just another “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” set in space, despite some lingering interstellar fears. If you found the aliens in this first prequel unsettling, wait until you see what they could have become.
The Deacon alien was less Xenomorph-like originally
Towards the climax of “Prometheus,” I, as an avid fan, found myself on the edge of my seat when Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and David (Michael Fassbender) embarked on a cosmic journey to uncover the Engineers’ motive behind humanity’s intended destruction. As we revisited the surface of LV-223, the motionless body of an Engineer suddenly came alive, heaving and twitching until a new life force burst forth from its chest. This horrifying creature eventually stood upright, revealing its dark, sleek form with the chilling ability to hide a second set of jaws within its throat. While some might have dismissed this as just another young Xenomorph, us dedicated “Alien” enthusiasts would soon learn to call this terrifying being by its name – Deacon.
Initially, the Deacon alien wasn’t as Xenomorph-like as what we saw in the finished film. Artwork by Ivan Manzella reveals that the original design of the Deacon was more humanoid in shape. Unlike traditional Xenomorphs, which fans have known since “Alien,” the Deacon was emaciated and didn’t possess a tail initially. Despite appearing different on the surface, the Deacon resembled a terrifying demon creature capable of ripping you apart. In contrast to its final version, early sketches of this monster depicted it as more transparent, with a lighter creamy color reminiscent of the Engineer from which it was born.
Fifield’s transformation could’ve been a lot more gruesome
In a chilling manner, the film “Prometheus” subtly unveils the perils of LV-223, which may have seemed familiar to fans of the original “Alien,” but is in fact a world tampered by the Engineers, leading to various nightmares for the Prometheus crew. A geologist named Sean Fifield, played by Sean Harris, suffered a harrowing experience when he was drenched in the corrosive acid of a creature known as a Hammerpede. This encounter left him disfigured and scarred. To add to the terror, upon his return to the ship, Fifield had transformed into something monstrous and viciously attacked his fellow crew members. However, it was initially intended that Fifield’s transformation would be even more terrifying.
As a gamer, in an earlier version of the “Fifield Mutation” sequence, my character’s transformation from human to monster was downright gruesome. Although the special effects were still in progress, it was apparent that I had lost my nose and the sight in one of my eyes. My face appeared more skeletal, intensifying the terror as I lunged at my crewmates. Moreover, the acidic response of the alien creature had melted my helmet, which was collapsing onto my mutated visage. Ivan Manzella’s concept art pushed this even further, with distortions in my body shape and image, making me look more like an alien than before, a ghoul or zombie rather than a burn victim. Yet, despite the changes, my character remained as hostile in both scenes, but the original design made him seem all the more terrifying.
The Trilobite had even more tentacles than before
If you found the Trilobite in “Prometheus” frightening, wait until you see its earlier form. As the creature in “Prometheus” transforms over the latter half of the movie, it becomes quite terrifying. This creature sports seven large tentacles, four smaller tendrils, and teeth that are downright fearsome – a precursor to the first Facehugger from “Alien”. However, in some of Ivan Manzella’s original concept art for this monster in “Prometheus”, it appears even more menacing.
Initially, the alien monster appeared with ten primary tentacles, though it later transformed into a form resembling a starfish. Even though seven tentacles might not seem significantly different when it comes to the creature’s ability to overpower the giant Engineer, having three more would undeniably make this creature even more intimidating. Alternative designs of the Trilobite featured spider-like legs instead of the tentacles that ended up being used in the film. Despite their grotesque nature, it is the additional detail from the concept art that makes the design particularly unsettling – the creature’s orifice, which bears a resemblance to a vagina, also houses an extended reproductive tentacle of its own.
It also nearly had a rougher exterior
It’s quite surprising, but during its development phase, the creature portrayed as a starfish-like mammoth in the film wasn’t initially the same as the Trilobite we know. If you found the design of this monster bizarre before, wait till you hear this: David Levy’s early concept sketches revealed a much rougher version. This creature had a somewhat armored appearance and was equipped with centipede-like legs underneath it for scuttling across the sterile floor of the ‘Prometheus’. Despite these changes, its eight large tentacles remained, making it a formidable foe we wouldn’t have wanted to encounter in a sci-fi scenario.
The design of the Trilobite isn’t poor, but the one shown in “Prometheus” aligns better with the overall style of the movie. With its streamlined spacecrafts and the intricate details of the Engineer, it seems logical that the creatures in this prequel would have a cleaner, less cluttered appearance. However, this version of the Trilobite would have undoubtedly given us nightmares and could have challenged the on-screen character for dominance.
The Hammerpedes looked more, well, sperm-like
In the beginning of “Prometheus,” when the crew initially lands on LV-223, a few team members exit the spacecraft for an exploration. As they investigate a towering structure apparently deserted on the moon, biologist Millburn (Rafe Spall) and Fifield come across a wriggling creature resembling a worm that stalks them in the water. This creature later interacts with the duo, attacking Millburn while Fifield struggles to sever it. Unfortunately, this results in Fifield being drenched by the alien’s corrosive blood, leading to his eventual transformation and ultimately Millburn’s death too. However, before the attack, the creature unfurls two limbs from its head base, which gave it the name Hammerpede.
Indeed, during the production process of the movie “Prometheus,” the Hammerpede’s design underwent several transformations, echoing Ivan Manzella’s initial concept that bore a striking resemblance to a sperm. This aligns with the film’s and the Alien franchise’s recurring focus on reproductive themes, as seen in their distinctive monster designs featuring phallic shapes. Interestingly, H.R. Geiger’s original Alien designs were considered too explicit by Fox. The final Hammerpede design, however, deviated from its predecessor’s sperm-like appearance.
The Engineers originally had a more alien look
Since Ridley Scott’s first “Alien” movie premiered in 1979, viewers have been curious about the alien pilot, or “space jockey,” discovered on LV-426. In “Prometheus,” although we visit LV-223, several mysteries were clarified in Scott’s official prequel to the “Alien” series. Although some aspects of the Engineers (their motive for disliking humans remains unclear), it is confirmed that they orchestrated the genetic experiments that torment the “Prometheus” crew throughout the movie. However, the humanoid appearance of the Engineers, wearing space jockey flight suits, wasn’t the only design conceptualized for these colossal ancient beings.
Artist Carlos Huante presented various concepts for the alien leaders, some featuring prolonged head structures reminiscent of the Xenomorphs they later developed. Since the film suggested links between the Engineers and humans, it’s plausible that Scott opted for a more humanoid design for his ancient beings. However, if we consider the factor of fright, some of Huante’s earlier designs could have resulted in a scarier climax, with a monstrous antagonist pursuing our protagonists. Fortunately, we avoided a potentially more petrifying portrayal of the Engineers in the final version.
The Engineers’ sacrifice was a bit more brutal at first
Although Ridley Scott had settled on the Engineer design by the time concept artist David Levy began storyboarding the “Engineer sacrifice” scene, Levy’s initial take on “Prometheus'” opening moments looked quite different from the final cut. In both versions, the Engineer drinks the black liquid substance we’re introduced to again later in the film, which breaks down his genetic material before our eyes. Eventually, the giant ancient alien collapses in on himself, and his genetic material is dispersed into the waterfall beside him. While Levy’s concept designs for this scene aren’t too different in outcome, some of the means are a bit more graphic.
At some point, the Engineer appears to be decaying from within, with his skeleton visible through his deteriorating flesh. This is gruesome and seems to depict a more comprehensive disintegration of the giant’s living tissue than the blackened veins in the final version suggested. In another scene, the back part of his head has fallen apart, exposing a rotting brain as the Engineer crumbles into dust – an element that was almost included in the final film. A different cut of the opening sequence highlights this aspect of the Engineer’s death more prominently. However, Levy’s last concept image suggests that only a piece of the original Engineer’s jawbone remains, which is considerably more intact than what we observe in the initial image.
There was nearly a Babyhead alien
If you were one who believed “Prometheus” had enough monsters, you’re fortunate there weren’t any more added. In Carlos Huante’s “Prometheus” concept art, another alien creature, known as Babyhead, was not included in the film’s final version. This creature, possibly derived from an earlier draft of the script by future “Dune” writer Jon Spaihts, is incredibly frightening. It resembles a premature Xenomorph in its torso but has a more infant-like head (if alien species could reproduce). It’s an unsettling creature that would likely be even more terrifying if it were roaming the halls of the “Prometheus” ship.
Although there’s a case to be made that the Babyhead creature eventually transformed into the Deacon alien, it appears considerably different from its final form as depicted in the 2012 sci-fi movie. Its extended limbs give it a towering and imposing appearance, making this creature seem more menacing than it initially looks. Without a doubt, this is one alien monster that we’re relieved to have avoided encountering. For those who find even the scariest evil children in horror films too distressing, an alien baby antagonist might have proven to be the last straw.
Early drafts of the Alien prequel included an Ultramorph
In the early draft of screenwriter Jon Spaihts’ script for Ridley Scott’s “Alien” prequel, titled “Alien: Engineers,” there was a previously unseen type of Xenomorph introduced. Known as an “Ultramorph” in the script, this alien creature resembled the titular monster from the 1979 film but had a longer skull, beady black eyes, and a colossal size that dwarfed all human characters. Interestingly, this Xenomorph-like entity was intended to be as large as the Engineers themselves, making it the largest form of the Xenomorph design, even though the film is set before the events of “Alien.
In an interview with Empire Magazine in 2012, Spaihts shared that we considered the possibility that xenomorphs might possess a pliable carapace, similar to a soft-shelled crab, enabling them to pass through narrow openings. He added that we explored many eerie ideas of this nature. One concept developed by Carlos Huante was a paler version of the Ultramorph, retaining its towering height but with a more intimidating color scheme. However, the final script for “Prometheus,” written by Damon Lindelof, discarded the Ultramorph entirely. Instead, the Deacon alien, which bursts from the Engineer’s chest cavity, connected this science fiction epic back to Ridley Scott’s original “Alien.
Holloway’s death could’ve been so much worse
In “Prometheus,” the characters Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) and Elizabeth Shaw share a romantic bond that soon transforms into heartbreaking events after Holloway meets a grisly end. After being tainted by the android David with an enigmatic black fluid, Holloway’s health deteriorates rapidly. Fearing the unknown consequences of bringing him back on board, the crew members decide to leave him behind. In a tragic turn, Holloway is set ablaze in front of Shaw, who later discovers she too has been infected with the same mysterious substance after an intimate encounter with Holloway. As a result, Shaw must undergo a harrowing procedure to extract the extraterrestrial organism growing inside her. The demise of Holloway could have been even more gruesome if not for this decision.
In Spaihts’ initial script for the movie “Prometheus”, Shaw was overjoyed to see Holloway alive upon his return to their cabin. However, their reunion was short-lived as Holloway suddenly burst and died during their intimate moment. This gruesome scene, filled with blood, guts, and alien tentacles, would have been the most disturbing death in the entire “Alien” series, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. Ironically, Holloway’s actual on-screen demise in the final version of “Prometheus” was less graphic and even seemed to be forgotten by the movie’s crew.
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2024-09-23 19:30