Whalefall director Brian Duffield says he is not making an Alien film, but did brief writing work
Brian Duffield, director of Whalefall, told Collider and The Hollywood Reporter that he is not directing a rumoured Alien prequel. The Hollywood Reporter adds that Duffield did two weeks of writing for an unnamed Alien project.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Brian Duffield, writer-director of the film Whalefall, has said he is not involved in a rumoured new Alien film. ColliderN “Whalefall director Brian Duffield has officially confirmed he is not involved in the rumored Alien prequel.” Read at Collider ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC ““I’m not doing an Alien movie. I know how the rumor started, but no one’s ever asked me to direct an Alien movie,”” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Centre · 1Collider reported that Duffield was asked about the rumour by its reporter Maggie Lovitt while promoting Whalefall at NYCC. Duffield said, "I'm not directing Alien" and that they had recently spoken about it with the head of 20th Century. ColliderN “While promoting his new movie Whalefall at NYCC, Duffield was asked by Collider's Maggie Lovitt if he was involved”“I'm not involved, so I'm always trying to get information as a fan, but I'm not directing Alien.” Read at Collider ↗ Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter gave more detail. Duffield said 20th Century needed writing help for a couple of weeks and they helped while making Whalefall, since it is the same people and studio. The title of that Alien project was not named. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Duffield sets the record straight, explaining that he contributed just two weeks of writing work to an Alien title he won’t explicitly name.”“20th needed some [writing] help for a couple of weeks, and I helped while I was doing Whalefall because it’s the same people and studio.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Mixed · 2The Hollywood Reporter said the rumours assumed a sequel to Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus, particularly after Álvarez left that project following the completion of a sequel draft. Collider described the rumoured film as a separate Alien prequel, distinct from both the Romulus sequel and Ridley Scott's proposed third chapter of the Prometheus trilogy. The Hollywood ReporterLC “the assumption was that it was a sequel to Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus, particularly after the writer-director exited the project rather unexpectedly following the completion of his own sequel draft.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ ColliderN “This would be separate from both the Alien: Romulus sequel and Ridley Scott's proposed third chapter in his Prometheus trilogy.” Read at Collider ↗ Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter speculated that Duffield's praise of the "awesome" actors probably refers to Romulus stars Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson. It also suggested that, given Ridley Scott's recent teasing of an Alien: Covenant follow-up, the writing may have been preliminary work on that. This is the outlet's conjecture and has not been confirmed. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Duffield’s praise for the “awesome” actors presumably refers to Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson”“perhaps Duffield did preliminary work on a take that would bring Michael Fassbender’s android back into the mix.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Mixed · 2Whalefall stars Austin Abrams as a diver swallowed by a whale off California, alongside Josh Brolin, and opens in theatres on October 16. Duffield co-adapted it with Daniel Kraus, author of the source novel. Collider reports Duffield called it one of the hardest movies they have worked on. ColliderN “Whalefall dives into theaters on October 16.”“Brian Duffield also said that his new movie Whalefall is without question one of the hardest movies he has ever worked on.” Read at Collider ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “which Duffield and Kraus would co-adapt for the big screen.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- A long career profile and interview in which the Alien rumour is one thread alongside the Whalefall adaptation, test screenings and development projects.
- Emphasis
- Duffield's career history, the collaboration with Daniel Kraus and the studio relationships. The Alien comments include the two weeks of writing and the outlet's speculation about Covenant.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not identify which Alien project Duffield helped on, because Duffield did not name it.
- Charged language
- “genuinely fascinating career”“sets the record straight”
- For example
-
“Duffield sets the record straight, explaining that he contributed just two weeks of writing work to an Alien title he won’t explicitly name.” — The Hollywood Reporter
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- A short exclusive built around a denial: Duffield is not involved in the rumoured Alien prequel. It places the rumour in the franchise's recent success.
- Emphasis
- The quote from NYCC, the state of the Alien franchise and the Whalefall release date.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Duffield's brief writing work for 20th Century on an Alien title.
- Charged language
- “set the record straight”“sadly”
- For example
-
“Rumors suggested that Brian Duffield, who worked on the sci-fi thriller No One Will Save You, was involved in the new film, but sadly, that's not the case.” — Collider
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Duffield says they are not directing or currently working on an Alien movie.
- Duffield said they know how the rumour started.
- Whalefall is Duffield's new film, starring Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin, and opens October 16.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether Duffield has had any involvement with Alien
- Left
- The Hollywood Reporter reports that Duffield contributed two weeks of writing to an unnamed Alien title, while saying they are not doing an Alien movie and were never asked to direct one.
- Centre
- Collider quotes Duffield as saying they are not currently working on an Alien film and are not involved.
Brian Duffield person
Says they are not directing or currently working on an Alien film, know how the rumour started, and were never asked to direct one. They helped 20th Century with about two weeks of writing while making Whalefall and say they would follow Alien news as a fan.
“I know how the rumor started, but it's not something I'm currently working on.” — Collider
“So that’s not what’s next for me, but hopefully they get it up and running soon.” — The Hollywood Reporter
Whalefall (film) product
Whalefall is presented as a survival story about a diver swallowed by a whale, adapted from Daniel Kraus's novel, and released October 16 by 20th Century.
“the film follows a young diver who is swallowed whole by a colossal whale off the coast of California.” — Collider
Left1 article
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Sympathetic Long, admiring profile and interview with Duffield that clarifies the Alien rumour as part of a wider career story.
Centre1 article
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'Whalefall' Director Officially Responds to Alien Prequel Rumors [Exclusive]
Neutral Short exclusive reporting Duffield's denial of involvement in the rumoured Alien prequel, with franchise context.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 12 Oct 21:00 First ColliderN 'Whalefall' Director Officially Responds to Alien Prequel Rumors [Exclusive]
- 14 Oct 21:07 +48h 8m The Hollywood ReporterLC ‘Whalefall’ Director Brian Duffield Talks Book Changes, Test Screening Challenges and How Those ‘Alien’ Rumors Started
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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