Eiza González is set to star in the mysterious sci-fi horror movie Ash, which at first glance could pᴀss for a sequel in one of science fiction’s most storied franchises. Directed by Flying Lotus as just his second feature-length film, Ash stars Eiza González (3 Body Problem) as a woman who wakes up on an alien planet with no memory of herself or her situation, and with the entire crew of the space station ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) also stars as a man she supposedly knows responding to a distress call that she sent prior to losing her memory.
The trailer for Ash doesn’t give much else away, and instead focuses on the mind-bending visuals and up-close terror of the situation in which the astronaut Riya (González) finds herself. There is evidence of alien life forms in the trailer, and on top of whatever cosmic threat that Riya faces, she will also have to contend with whether to trust her would-be rescuer, Brion (Paul). The paranoia and existential dread that permeates the trailer, along with the malevolent alien organisms, give Ash the vibes of a spiritual sequel to a recently-revitalized sci-fi horror franchise.
Eiza González’s Ash Movie Looks Like It Could Be Part Of The Alien Franchise
The Story And Vibe Are Very Similar
While Ash also feels like it could be a ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Space adaptation, the sci-fi horror elements and claustrophobic atmosphere make it feel like an echo of the Alien franchise. The aliens that are briefly depicted in the trailer seem to be able to enter or infect human bodies, showing clear influence from the xenomorphs of the Alien franchise. The setting in a dark space station filled with the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ also bears a clear resemblance to the end of the original Alien, which saw Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley taking on the xenomorph threat as the last survivor of the Nostromo.
Neill Blomkamp, who co-wrote and directed the Oscar-nominated alien sci-fi action movie District 9, is an executive producer on Ash.
There’s also the deep-seated dread that comes with Riya’s situation; she is by herself in an unfathomably terrifying location surrounded by bodies, with no memory of what happened or who she is. As if the crippling paranoia isn’t enough, she has to worry about whether the one person who could help her might have nefarious intentions. It gives similar vibes to the hidden android in Alien played by Ian Holm, who is ironically named Ash. There’s no reason to think that there is an actual connection to the Alien franchise, but it’s clear that Ash was influenced by it.
Eiza González’s Upcoming Sci-Fi Horror Movie Gives Alien Fans Two Projects To Be Excited For In 2025
Alien: Earth Is Also On Its Way
Ash looks like it will be a great watch for fans of the Alien franchise, and fortunately, that’s not the only 2025 project that will get those fans excited. Alien: Earth is set to be released some time in 2025 on FX on Hulu, as a television series written and directed by Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion). The series is set within the universe of the Alien franchise, and will technically act as a prequel given that it will be set two years before the events of the original Alien in the Alien franchise timeline.
The show reportedly will see the xenomorphs make it to Earth when a spaceship crash-lands on the planet, which is intriguing new ground for the franchise. Thus far, the events of the Alien franchise have taken place on orbiting/traveling space stations or alien planets, given that they have all been set in the future and many light years away from Earth. The prospect of the universe’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅliest organism being unleashed on humanity is an extremely exciting prospect, and combined with the March release of Ash, 2025 could be a great year for fans of the Alien franchise.