In a move that pushes the boundaries of science fiction television, FX is launching Alien: Earth on August 12 on FX and Hulu. Inspired by the iconic Alien franchise, the television series expands the story in new and unexpected ways. Spearheaded by visionary series creator, executive producer, writer and director Noah Hawley, the show promises to deliver terrifying new monsters as well as explore new depths of humanity.
Prestige Science Fiction Television
“An Alien movie is a two-hour survival story, and a television show can’t be that,” Hawley explained. “It’s long-form storytelling about multiple characters who don’t die, that we have to invest in over a long period of time.”
This shift from cinematic intensity to serialized storytelling marks an evolution for the franchise, aligning with Disney’s commitment to character-driven storytelling across its platforms.
Hawley also took measures to ensure that one of the iconic elements of the Alien franchise was handled with care, so it wouldn’t get in the way of the broader storytelling: monsters.
“The first thing you have to do is figure out how the monsters work in the show, because the point of the show can’t be the monsters, otherwise you have a very short show,” Hawley said. “So I took the monsters out of the story and had to figure out what the story would be about.”
This allowed Hawley to focus more squarely human drama and philosophical inquiry at the heart of the narrative before bringing monsters back into the series, helping boost the prestige bona fides of Alien: Earth.
In fact, FX has been on a tear lately with critical hits that also resonate with large swaths of viewers.
Beyond Alien: Earth — which currently sits at a 94% Rotten Tomato score among critics — recent FX shows like Shōgun, The Bear, and Fargo (also created and executive produced by Hawley), have been celebrated for their narrative ambition — garnering several Emmy Awards among them with high Rotten Tomatoes scores — and cultural resonance.
Inviting Longtime Fans and Fresh Audiences
Set two years before Ridley Scott’s original 1979 film, the series is designed to be accessible to newcomers: “I wanted the audience to look at the show and understand they don’t have to have watched an Alien movie to watch the show,” Hawley noted. This inclusive approach broadens the franchise’s reach, inviting both longtime fans and fresh audiences into its universe.
At its core, Alien: Earth still remains true to the franchise’s roots, continuing its legacy of riveting female protagonists.
“I think the identity of Alien is female from Sigourney [Weaver], but also if we look at the creature itself and the fact that it’s a matriarchy. There’s a queen, right? So, it was very important for me to stay true to that identity.”
Hawley’s commitment to this legacy is reflected in the show’s protagonist — a young girl inspired by the character Wendy from Peter Pan (played by Sydney Chandler, and is also named Wendy).
“I started with this idea about human consciousness being transferred into a synthetic body and the idea that adult minds maybe are too fixed, so they have to start with children,” Hawley explained. “That led me to a kind of Peter Pan metaphor, and then I kind of just naturally came to this idea of Wendy who is in many ways the hero of Peter Pan. In that way, I ended up with a female protagonist without necessarily searching for one.”
Scale, Spectacle, and Resonance
Behind the scenes, the production is a testament to Disney’s scale and precision. “It’s not just the 20 stages — it’s the 750 people working on the show,” Hawley notes. “You build a system, and you build a system of human beings in which there’s accountability, responsibility, and respect.”
But Alien: Earth isn’t just about spectacle — it’s about connecting with audiences.
“My big hope is that I entertain the planet Earth for the summer! But… I hope that people find themselves walking away from every episode not being able to get the story, the characters, and the dilemmas out of their head… Let’s call it ‘entertainment plus.’”
With Alien: Earth, FX and Disney are not only expanding a beloved franchise — they’re expanding the horizons of what science fiction can be on television. It’s a bold, thoughtful, and thrilling new chapter that promises to both captivate and frighten audiences old and new.
Premiering Tuesday, August 12, on Hulu and FX, Alien: Earth is the first-live action Alien series and is a strong addition to the Alien film franchise, which spans seven films between 1979’s Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, and 2024’s Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez.
The original series is set in the year 2120, where cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) exist alongside humans — but the scales tip when Prodigy Corporation’s wunderkind founder and CEO makes a revolutionary technological achievement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness).
Extraordinary in every aspect, the first hybrid prototype, named Wendy (Sydney Chandler), marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After the deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy and a team of tactical soldiers spring into action and make a perilous discovery — one that puts them face-to-face with an otherworldly threat.
The series hails from creator and executive producer Noah Hawley, the Peabody and Emmy® Award winner behind Fargo, with Ridley, David W. Zucker, Joseph Iberti, Dana Gonzales, and Clayton Krueger also serving as executive producers.