'Prometheus': 3 Things We Know About 'Lost' Co-Creator Damon Lindelof's New Movie
by Andy Neuenschwander
As the co-creator of "Lost" with J.J. Abrams, writer Damon Lindelof is no stranger to being cryptic and keeping secrets. But when it comes to his new movie "Prometheus," the secrecy is getting a little ridiculous. He, director Ridley Scott, and star Charlize Theron seem to have made some kind of pact to not tell anyone anything. But here's what we do know:
1. It's set in space, over a huge stretch of time
"What’s cool about this movie is that it doesn’t take place on Earth, in any real significant way, so the way that we’re experiencing the future is really away from Earth," Lindelof said at Comic-Con. "I think that one of the really interesting ideas that the movie is dealing with is this sense that space exploration, particularly in the future, is going to start to involve this idea that it’s not just about going out there and finding planets ... there’s also this inherent idea that, the further we go out, perhaps the more we learn about ourselves."
So, we're talking about a space exploration movie set in the future. Lindelof also mentioned, though, that the movie covers "a very vast expanse of time" including past, present and future. Will it pull a "Tree of Life" and bring us through millions of years of history? Maybe. Or maybe not. You never know with this guy.
2. It will tie into "Alien"
Though "Prometheus" might not be a prequel to "Alien" in the strictest sense, Lindelof indicated that the movies definitely tie in together. "In terms of how this might tie into the original Alien series... a lot of the fun in going to see the movie is seeing if and how we’re going to try to connect that," said Lindelof. "But, I don’t think that any of us would have been doing our jobs right if this movie couldn’t stand on its own. If you’re a fan of the original film, there will be little Easter eggs in there for you to find, but the idea of connecting it in, in an incredibly profound way, would denude its originality a little bit."
Translation: yes, they occupy the same universe, but no, the crew will probably not be attacked by acid-spitting creatures. At least, maybe they won't.
3. Charlize Theron will be naked (we think?)
Theron was cracking a joke a minute while talking about the movie. "I'm naked the entire time," said Theron, and Lindelof added, "That's true! But in a very classy way." When asked later if she was joking about being naked, Theron replied, "I wasn't joking, gosh! I'm an Academy Award winner. I'm serious."
That still doesn't reveal much, but when asked about whether she's comfortable with nude scenes, Theron replied, "I don’t know how much of it is where you come from or how you were raised, or how much of it is actually just looking at that as a physical aspect in storytelling. I was a ballerina for 12 years and I changed backstage. Look, it’s not like I f**king love being naked. I’m totally insecure, like every other woman."
At that point, Lindelof noted how very much he was enjoying the panel. Theron decided to throw him one more image to think about: "When I’m naked, I really like to do push-ups," she joked.
If all of that still hasn't answered anything for you, here's the equally cryptic official synopsis:
"Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery."