Alien: Earth launches its first two episodes on August 12 on Hulu at 8pm ET, and on FX and Disney+ globally at 8pm PT/ET. New episodes of the eight-episode season air every Tuesday thereafter.

Set in 2120, shortly after Prometheus and just before the catastrophic events aboard the Nostromo in Alien, Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth follows the crash-landing of the USCSS Maginot, a secretive deep-space research vessel, on Earth. A young woman named Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a diverse team of tactical soldiers uncover a chilling discovery that brings them face-to-face with humanity’s deadliest threat.

For context, the recent interquel Alien: Romulus is set between Alien and Aliens.

In this era of the Alien timeline, Earth is controlled by five megacorporations: Weyland-Yutani (the primary antagonist of the franchise), Prodigy, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. Cyborgs and synthetics live alongside humans, but the Prodigy Corporation’s CEO pioneers a breakthrough: hybrids—humanoid robots infused with human consciousness. Wendy, the first hybrid prototype, embodies the franchise’s ongoing quest for immortality.

A striking plot point emerges: after a Weyland-Yutani spaceship crashes into Prodigy City, Wendy and her fellow hybrids confront enigmatic life forms described as “more horrifying than anything ever conceived.”

This hints at the presence of creatures beyond the iconic Xenomorph, possibly including new variants. Reports suggest five distinct types will appear.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In 2120, Earth is ruled by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. In this era of corporate dominance, cyborgs (humans with biological and artificial components) and synthetics (AI-driven humanoid robots) coexist with humans. The landscape shifts when Prodigy’s visionary CEO unveils hybrids—humanoid robots with human consciousness. The first prototype, “Wendy,” signals a leap in the pursuit of immortality. When a Weyland-Yutani spaceship crashes into Prodigy City, Wendy and other hybrids face terrifying, unimaginable life forms.

Alien: Earth cast:

AI Characters (Synthetics) in the Alien Movie Franchise

Last January, showrunner Noah Hawley revealed why he avoided Prometheus’ backstory for Alien: Earth, citing his preference for the “retro-futurism” of the original films. After discussions with Alien creator Ridley Scott about the franchise’s broader connections, including its prequels, Hawley chose to diverge from the bioweapon narrative, favoring the classic films’ mythology.

The Alien franchise is thriving. Alien: Romulus 2 is in development, and a new crossover with the Predator series, Predator: Badlands, is on the horizon.