Future Alien prequels could feature a digitally de-aged Sigourney Weaver as Ripley
Ridley Scott doesn't rule out using technology to bring back the classic character
Huge leaps forward in technology have transformed what it's possible to do on screen, which is why Ridley Scott can now seriously consider what would once have been farcical: bringing Sigourney Weaver back into the Alien franchise as a digitally de-aged version of herself.
The director's 1979 movie Alien was a shining example of what you could do with SFX when it came out, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. But almost 40 years later, visual effects have changed beyond recognition – though you might still recognise some of the faces you see on screen.
We had Carrie Fisher's brief cameo in Rogue One as a younger Princess Leia, Robert Downey Jr's youthful appearance in Avengers: Civil War, and a de-aged flashback of Michael Douglas's character in Ant-Man.
Asked whether he would consider doing the same to Weaver back as Ripley, according to GeekTyrant Scott hinted to Empire magazine: "You could do that."
The director is reportedly planning at least two more films after the upcoming Alien: Covenant before the story links in with the original Alien, by which time the technology may be even more advanced (and, hopefully, slightly less uncanny).
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Weaver, who is now 67, starred in the original movie at the age of 29.
Alien: Covenant will be released on 12th May in the UK
