Is Alien: Earth canon in the franchise? Here’s what we know

Alien: Earth is a prequel series set in the Alien universe, created by Noah Hawley and executive produced by Ridley Scott. It premieres August 12, 2025, on FX and Hulu in the U.S., and August 13 internationally on Disney+. The show is set in the year 2120—two years before the events of Alien (1979).

It follows a futuristic Earth controlled by corporations, where people are living under constant surveillance and synthetic humans like Wendy, played by Sydney Chandler, are seen as disposable tools. The story explores what happens when a Xenomorph threat reaches Earth for the first time and how humans respond. The cast also includes Timothy Olyphant and Alex Lawther.

There are no ties to Prometheus or Covenant. There’s no David. No Engineers. This series is focused on a grounded corporate power struggle and biological horror. It’s not connected to any past movies in a direct way, even though it uses familiar elements from the franchise.

Hawley made it clear this isn’t a continuation of anything, and the studio has confirmed it isn’t obligated to line up with existing timelines or pre-established storylines. It’s designed to work on its own terms.

FX Confirms Alien: Earth doesn’t follow franchise timeline

Alien: Earth is not officially part of the core Alien movie timeline. It shares the same universe, features the Xenomorphs, and carries visual and thematic elements that fans recognize, but it doesn’t connect to the events of Prometheus, Covenant, or even Alien: Romulus.

The show’s creator, Noah Hawley, made it clear from the beginning that he wasn’t interested in continuing the storyline that Ridley Scott developed with the Engineers or the origin of the Xenomorphs through David. Instead, he built something that exists alongside the franchise but isn’t tied to it structurally.

FX president Gina Balian confirmed in multiple interviews that Alien: Earth is a “parallel” story. It uses the same tools—the Weyland-Yutani backdrop, synthetics, and the alien itself—but it doesn’t have to follow the rules already set by the films.

That means there are no references to events from Prometheus, no timeline overlap with Covenant, and no connective tissue with Romulus, which is positioned more directly within the film continuity. In Alien: Earth, the Xenomorph shows up on Earth in 2120, which contradicts the movie timeline where the creature isn’t discovered until Alien in 2122. That alone makes it clear the show operates independently.

There’s also no attempt to match the mythology that Scott created in the prequels. David, the android who created the first Xenomorphs in Covenant, doesn’t exist in Hawley’s version of the world.

Instead, Alien: Earth treats the alien as a natural threat, not a result of human or Engineer experimentation. The series uses the creature more as a symbol of corporate failure and bio-surveillance risk than as a continuation of genetic horror. Hawley’s writing doesn’t rely on previous lore. He’s telling a separate story using familiar assets.

Even the production team made sure not to step into continuity debates. In statements to Inverse, they said this series “doesn’t need to sync up” with the films. That decision allows Hawley to explore new themes without being boxed in by the events of earlier entries. While Romulus was developed to align with the original films, Alien: Earth was created to stand on its own, almost like an anthology project. It respects the brand but doesn’t follow its timeline.

From a studio perspective, the series is officially part of the franchise umbrella, but narratively, it exists outside the main canon. There’s no crossover, no setup for future films, and no requirement to adhere to what’s already happened. If you’re looking for a direct prequel or sequel, Alien: Earth isn’t that. It’s its own thing, told in the same universe but not locked to the rest. The show doesn’t break canon—it just chooses not to follow it.

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