Two More Potential Cast Members Added To ALIENS Prequel

It's been reported that Natalie Portman was at the top of the casting list. It also looks like James Franco and Anne Hathaway are interested in being a part of the new Aliens film.

Bloody Disgusting got the exclusive that James Franco and Anne Hathaway are now added to the list of potential casting for the new Ridley Scott's Aliens Prequel. Neither are signed on at this point, but you can add them to the long list of potential leads including Natalie Portman, Noomi Rapace and Carey Mulligan. The lead character of the prequel is that of “a female Colonial Marine general.”

It's known that the prequel will be set 35 years prior to the original 1979 Alien film. The story of the “Space Jockey” from the beginning of the original Alien film will also be told. The film is suppose to explain where the aliens came from and how they ended up on LV-426 where Sigourney Weaver's character, Ellen Ripley goes head to head with the creatures.

While Scott has no plans of including Weaver or her character in the new picture, due to it taking place years before the original, the actress hopes she will be able to find a role behind-the-scenes with a possible consultative role. She tells Shock Till You Drop, "If they needed help with the story, I could probably help them because I probably have a good sense of what people appreciate in the series and what they don't care about. So I hope they'll ask me."

The prequel to the popular Aliens film is slated for a 2011 release