Latest news with #Alien
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Alien: Earth' Is Surprisingly Cinematic, a Bit Gross and a Whole Lot of Awesome
If you ask me, it's a great time to be an Alien fan. Last year's Alien: Romulus offered a fun, nostalgic taste of what made the Alien movies so iconic. It was the perfect appetizer for what's coming next. Of course, I am speaking about Alien: Earth. It's been about five years since FX officially announced the Noah Hawley project and, now, with the show just days away from premiering (the first two episodes drop on Tuesday, Aug. 12, on Hulu, FX and Disney Plus), I am here to squash your worries. Alien: Earth is good. In fact, it's pretty epic. Heck, I'd go so far as to say it's the best Alien story I've seen since James Cameron put Sigourney Weaver in a power loader back in 1986. Needless to say, I have a lot to say about the eight episodes I've seen -- and I'm going to do so as spoiler-free as possible. Still, if you want to avoid any details about the show, I advise you to tread lightly. Read more: Hulu to Fully Combine With Disney Plus and Expand Globally: What We Know Alien: Earth does something no other installment of the franchise has dared to do: It puts the majority of the story on Earth. The year is 2120, just two years before Ellen Ripley's (Weaver) fight for survival takes place on the Nostromo. In this world, five tech corporations govern the people: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold. Up until now, we've only heard of Weyland-Yutani. Adding the other companies to the mix and exploring their political conflicts and fight for power opens up the story and broadens things a bit from the usual monster-versus-innocent-crew-members formula we've come to expect from an Alien story. The Xenomorph is still very much the focal point of the series, don't get me wrong. However, Alien: Earth introduces a few new concepts to the mix: Cyborgs (humans augmented with machine parts), hybrids (synthetic bodies controlled by human consciousness) and a collection of insidious space insects that add new horrors besides the face-hugging variety. You can't really replicate the initial shock that audiences felt after watching Alien for the first time. Sure, a chest-bursting sequence in an Alien movie can be unsettling to watch. But these gruesome scenes are expected and have become formulaic. Hawley knows this and that's why he and his team brought an assortment of creepy-crawlies to the mix. The result is gross and gory; the inclusion of these space bugs delivers a collection of body horror sequences that left me, more than once, shouting in disgust at the TV. That's high praise coming from me. Building an original world such as this is only as enthralling as the characters who populate it and the talent slate really delivers the emotional stakes on all accounts. While Timothy Olyphant is the biggest name on the call sheet, each of the main players -- Sydney Chandler (who plays Wendy), Alex Lawther (who plays Hermit), Samuel Blenkin (who plays Boy Kavalier) and Babou Ceesay (who plays Morrow) -- delivers tenfold. Audiences have never seen Olyphant play a character like the synthetic Kirsh. He's enigmatic in his stillness and leaves you regularly guessing whose side he is on. As wonderful as he is, it's Chandler who carries the show. Wendy is the emotional entry point for the audience and probably the most complex of all the characters. She is also an advanced synthetic human infused with the consciousness of a child. Her youthful discovery of the world around her bumps up against her newfound responsibility to Prodigy, the company in charge of her synth existence. She strives to reconcile her human identity of the past while trying to make sense of her technological one of the present. Yeesh, talk about an identity crisis. The Alien franchise has regularly pondered whether humanity deserves to survive. The series asks the same question, whether it's in the face of the alien invaders or the corporatations bending the understanding of what it even means to be human. Transhumanism, mortality, corporate control and the perils of unchecked technological advancements are some of the heady themes explored here. As big as some of these creative swings get, you shouldn't worry: aliens are still killing people. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Stylistically, Alien: Earth regularly references the first two Alien movies. That said, there is ample room to create something new and explore uncharted ground in the process. And the show does just that. The result is a program that is grand in scope, and while familiar visuals and aesthetics are featured throughout, Alien: Earth is delightfully different. This brings me to the Xenomorph. I'm not sure how practical the effects are in reference to the iconic creature (it's clear in some scenes that there's a person inside of a costume), but there are shots featured throughout the show that present the monster in a unique perspective, unlike anything I've seen before. And instead of waiting multiple episodes before the big bad is revealed, it's set loose in the pilot episode. Through his TV work with Fargo and Legion, Noah Hawley has established a tone and flavor for his projects, and that offbeat energy can most definitely be found here. His fingerprints are all over this show (he even makes an on-screen cameo), and this is mostly a good thing. That said, if I were to really nitpick, it'd be the slow-burn pacing featured throughout the season that I'd take issue with. Still, that's a minor flaw to me, which is totally made up for with every banging needle drop that closes out each episode. It's probably evident that I am a huge Alien fan. I get the references and smile every time I see a style note or referential homage. That said, the show is surprisingly low on Easter eggs, which is great. It respects and honors what came before it without getting lost in the minutiae. Alien: Earth has equal appeal to newbies who have never seen an Alien movie and die-hard franchise fanatics like myself. I can honestly say this series is unlike anything I've seen in the Alien universe. It's familiar while also being new; it's different without being destructive to the lore. Alien fans have trudged through one disappointing movie after another to get here. Alien: Earth is a win, and I'm ecstatic. You could even say my chest is bursting with joy. It only took four decades to get here. I guess good things really do come to those who wait. Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
'Alien: Earth' features a barefoot trillionaire. He echoes 'what's happening right now in the world,' says the actor who plays him.
Terrifying Xenomorphs, human-android hybrids, and a celebrity trillionaire who holds a mirror up to our world — " Alien: Earth" has it all. The show follows two warring companies, Weyland-Yutani and Prodigy Corp, as they scramble to catch the Xenomorph and a handful of other creatures after they crash-land on Earth. Prodigy Corp is led by Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), who has found a way to transfer the consciousness of terminally ill children into synthetic adult bodies. He uses these human-androids (dubbed the "Lost Boys") to do his bidding and capture the Xenomorph. Noah Hawley, who created and wrote "Alien: Earth," spoke to Business Insider in London about how the show holds a mirror up to our world, saying, "I think it's pretty obvious that we're all living in the same world, and we are looking at this show with the same eyes." @eammonj94 Samuel Blenkin on how Alien: Earth mirrors our world through villainous CEOs… @FX Networks @Disney UK @disneyplusuk @Business Insider @Insider Life (📸:) #Alien #AlienEarth #TimothyOlyphant #SamuelBlenkin #BabouCeesay #NoahHawley #FX #Hulu #DisneyPlus #DisneyUK #journalist #Interview #TVinterview #Work #Horror #ScienceFiction #RidleyScott #JamesCameron #Xenomorph #Monsters #MovieMonsters #Movies #WhatToWatch #whattowatch #HorrorTok #MovieTok #Aliens #HRGiger ♬ original sound - Eammon Jacobs He said that because Weyland-Yutani was a "faceless corporate thing" where "the individual was powerless against the system" in the "Alien" movies, he needed to add something different in the TV show so audiences could "see the world they were living in." "What we have now is a system in which the individual has the most power. The one leader of the corporation is a celebrity and a trillionaire and everything, and then all of the other individuals are powerless in the face of the whim of the founder." Blenkin said that Kavalier makes "brutal, logical choices" because he believes he's doing what is best for humanity. "There are clear resonances there with what's happening right now in the world, and the joy of this character who is strange and has his own weird tendencies and that kind of thing. I get to inhabit that." Despite the commentary on our own world, Blenkin says his performance isn't inspired by anyone in particular because "the writing is taking care of those connections." He continued, "The best stories, especially a TV show, you want to come around the back door. You don't want to knock the audience over the head." "Alien: Earth" starts streaming on Hulu on August 12 in the United States and on August 13 on Disney+ in the United Kingdom.
Tom's Guide
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 top new shows to stream this week on Netflix, Hulu and more (Aug. 11-17)
Just when your watchlist was begging for a shake-up, in come new shows premiering on Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services as well as broadcast and cable networks. This week, "Alien: Earth" crash-lands with face-hugging terror, "Love Is Blind: UK" season 2 sends singles back into the pods to find love, and "Butterfly" spins out a spy story with style. Whether you want thrills, heart or secrets, this lineup delivers. Here are our top picks for new TV shows to watch this week. This prequel series to the original 1979 film 'Alien' brings the xenomorphs out of the shadows of space and drops them right into our backyard. It's 2120, and Earth is carved up by five ruthless mega-corporations. Wendy (Sydney Chandler) is their newest creation, the first human–synthetic hybrid. Then, a research ship crashes into Prodigy City, spilling something far deadlier than trade secrets. Noah Hawley's show swaps space stations for city streets, mixing corporate intrigue and identity crises with pure, chest-bursting terror. Turns out, home isn't any safer than the cold void of space. Episodes 1-2 premiere Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on FX (via Sling or Fubo) and Hulu Daniel Dae Kim swaps the paradise of 'Hawaii Five-0' and 'Lost' for paranoia in Amazon's new spy thriller. He's David Jung, a former U.S. intelligence operative laying low in South Korea until a young assassin (Reina Hardesty) shows up to kill him — and turns out to be the daughter he hasn't seen in years. What follows is a tense, globe-hopping collision of family secrets, old betrayals and moral landmines. With Piper Perabo in the mix as a power player pulling strings, this isn't your standard game of cat and mouse. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. All 6 episodes premiere Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 3 a.m. ET on Prime Video Love Is Blind: UK is back for round two, and the pods are primed for fresh British banter and blind betrothals. Hosted by Emma and Matt Willis, the show once again gathers singles from across the UK and Ireland, all chasing romance without the pesky distraction of seeing each other first. This season's mix includes a dating app founder, a DJ, a Mensa member, a mommy's boy and a few hopeless romantics stuck in the friend zone. Sparks will fly, tears will be shed, proposals will be made, and wedding bells might ring … unless it's an 'I don't.' All 10 episodes premiere Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix And just like that … the 'Sex and the City' saga comes to a bittersweet end. The legacy that began with the original HBO series over two decades ago now wraps up with a final farewell. In the sequel series, Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte have faced new crossroads and challenges (and a killer Peloton); they'll continue to move forward into the future, just not seen on our screens. Carrie has finished her first novel, but she's somewhat adrift after her relationship with Aidan imploded. Will she, like her protagonist, end up alone? Or will she turn a new chapter in life? Episode 12 premieres Thursday, Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max This TV reboot revives John Grisham's iconic legal thriller, giving a fresh spin to the story Matt Damon made famous in 1997. Milo Callaghan stars as Rudy Baylor, a fresh law grad who's fired from a high-powered firm on day one. He quickly lands at a gritty taco stand-turned-law office alongside the relentless ambulance chaser Bruiser (Lana Parrilla) and her sly paralegal Deck (P.J. Byrne). Together, they unravel a deadly hospital cover-up, putting Rudy in the crosshairs of both his old boss and an ex with a score to settle. Forget 'Suits' and its limp revival; this one aims to deliver a sharper, more gripping courtroom showdown. Episode 1 premieres Friday, Aug. 15 at 10 p.m. ET on USA (via Sling or Fubo)
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Alien: Earth premiere: Release date, time, episode guide, where to watch in US and more
The wait for Alien: Earth is almost over. Noah Hawley's highly anticipated sci-fi horror series, set two years before Ridley Scott's original Alien, is premiering on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, in the United States and on August 13 in the United Kingdom. Alien Earth will premiere on August 12, 2025, in the United States(YouTube) The two-episode premiere will drop simultaneously, giving fans an immediate double dose of corporate dystopia and Xenomorph terror. Alien: Earth plot Set in the year 2120, Alien: Earth unfolds in a world dominated by five mega-corporations, according to a Decider report. The story centers on Wendy, a dying child whose consciousness is transferred into a synthetic adult body, which creates a human-synthetic hybrid caught in a terrifying chain of events. The show promises a blend of creature horror and thought-provoking science fiction, with critics already praising its intelligence and depth. Early reviews hover around 90 to 92 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, which signals a strong start. Also Read: Alien: Earth first look reveals Adarsh Gourav's character in Noah Hawley's Alien spinoff; release date out Alien: Earth episode release schedule According to a Game Radar report, the first week features a two-episode premiere, followed by a new episode released each Tuesday. Episodes one and two, titled Neverland and Mr. October, will premiere on August 12. After that, the schedule will be: Episode 3 - Metamorphosis: August 19, 2025 Episode 4 - Observation: August 26, 2025 Episode 5 - Emergence: September 2, 2025 Episode 6 - The Fly: September 9, 2025 Episode 7 - In Space, No One: September 16, 2025 Episode 8 - The Real Monsters: September 23, 2025 (Finale) Also Read: Take a look at 'Pluribus', Vince Gilligan's Apple TV+ series starring Rhea Seehorn Where to watch Alien: Earth in the US and premiere time For the viewers in the United States, Alien: Earth will air on FX. The show will stream on Hulu. All FX content is available on Hulu plans, starting at $9.99/month. Meanwhile, those in the United Kingdom and other international regions can stream the show on Disney+ under the Star hub, the Decider report added. The show will premiere at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on Hulu and FX, respectively, with Episode 2 airing right after the first one on FX in the US. The audience in the UK will be able to stream the show after it premieres at 1 am BST on August 13. FAQs Q1: When does Alien: Earth premiere? The show premieres on August 12 in the US and August 13 in the UK. Q2: How many episodes are there? There are eight episodes in total. Q3: Can I watch it on Disney+ in the US? No, in the US, the show is available on FX and Hulu. Disney+ carries it internationally. Q4: Will all episodes drop at once? No, after the two-episode premiere, new episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays. Q5: Who created the series? Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) serves as the showrunner, with Ridley Scott as an executive producer.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Alien: Earth episode 1 release date and time: When and where to watch the much-awaited sci-fi thriller online
Alien: Earth episode 1 release date and time Hulu: Fans of sci-fi and thrilling new series have plenty to look forward to with Hulu's upcoming original, Alien: Earth. Directed by Noah Hawley, the show promises to bring an exciting mix of mystery, adventure, and otherworldly drama that will keep viewers hooked. If you love stories that explore humanity's future and the unknown reaches of space, Alien: Earth is about to become your next binge. What is Alien: Earth about, and who's involved? Set in the year 2120, two years before the events of the original 1979 Alien film, Alien: Earth introduces viewers to a dystopian Earth dominated by powerful megacorporations. The story follows Wendy, a young girl whose consciousness is transferred into a synthetic adult body, making her the first human/synthetic hybrid. Alongside a group of tactical soldiers, Wendy embarks on a mission to investigate the crash-landing of the space vessel Maginot. Their discovery leads them face-to-face with the planet's greatest threat. Alien: Earth: Meet the cast Sydney Chandler as Wendy, the first human/synthetic hybrid. Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh, Wendy's synthetic mentor. Alex Lawther as CJ "Hermit", a human soldier and medic. Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier, CEO of the Prodigy Corporation. Essie Davis as Dame Silvia, a human. Adarsh Gourav as Slightly, a hybrid. Kit Young as Tootles, a hybrid. David Rysdahl as Arthur, a human scientist and Dame Silvia's husband. Babou Ceesay as Morrow, a cyborg security officer. Jonathan Ajayi as Smee, a hybrid. Erana James as Curly, a hybrid. Lily Newmark as Nibs, a hybrid. Diêm Camille as Siberian, a human soldier. Adrian Edmondson as Atom Eins. Alien Earth: Production & Reception Alien: Earth is executive produced by Noah Hawley and Ridley Scott, with cinematography by David Franco and a score composed by Jeff Russo . The series has garnered positive early reviews, holding a Certified Fresh rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating universal acclaim. Alien: Earth episode 1 release date and time Alien: Earth episode 1 will premiere on Hulu and FX on August 12, 2025. The release time is set for 8 PM Eastern Time (ET), which means it will be available at 5 PM Pacific Time (PT), 7 PM Central Time (CT), and for viewers in the United Kingdom, the show will drop at 1 AM BST on August 13. Make sure to mark your calendars so you don't miss the start of what could be the next big sci-fi hit. International fans can watch the series on Disney+.
