Alien: Covenant director Ridley Scott reveals how Prometheus backlash inspired new film

The frosty reception to his 2012 prequel led to a change in direction for the director's latest entry

Alien: Covenant has been released in the UK and we can confirm that, whether or not you're a fan of Ridley Scott's prequel Prometheus, it is a vastly different film (our review of which you can read here).

With almost five years now passed since Prometheus was released to a largely negative response, Scott is reflecting upon the feedback acknowledging what he believes the film's missing element to be - the xenomorph alien that terrorised the Nostromo crew in his 1979 original.

Scott admits he had no plans to include the original alien in new film Alien: Covenant, but the reaction to 2012 film Prometheus led to a change - and now Alien: Covenant is chock full of the terrifying creatures.

He told Yahoo! Movies: “It [Prometheus] went straight up there, and we discovered from it that [the fans] were really frustrated. They wanted to see more of the original [monster] and I thought he was definitely cooked, with an orange in his mouth. So I thought, ‘Wow, okay, I’m wrong.’”

The fans, in a funny kind of way - they’re not the final word - but they are the reflection of your doubts about something," he continued, "and then you realise ‘I was wrong’ or ‘I was right.'

"I think you’re not sensible if you don’t actually take [the fans’ reaction] into account.”

Scott has already penned a follow-up to Alien: Covenant which he claims will be released within the next two years.

The film - which stars Katharine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, Danny McBride and Carmen Ejogo - is in UK cinemas now