Ridley Scott Reveals If Raised By Wolves And Alien Are In The Same Universe

HBO Max's Raised by Wolves is arguably the most talked-about sci-fi series of the year, and it's easy to see why. Its vision of a dystopian future in which humanity's last hope is a couple of dangerous androids programmed to raise their young is an intriguing premise. Couple that with the stylish production and great performances from the concise cast, and HBO Max has got a certified hit on its hands. The series is the brainchild of screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski, but it wouldn't quite be what it is without some fine-tuning courtesy of Alien director Sir Ridley Scott.

Scott has done it all in his nearly five decades in Hollywood, contributing to some of the big screen's most iconic films. His oeuvre includes everything from the neo-noir cult classic Blade Runner to the road-trip comedy Thelma and Louise, making him one of the most well-rounded directors in the industry. Of course, his undisputed masterpiece is 1979's Alien, a movie that still stands tall atop the mountain of claustrophobic horror flicks it inspired. Scott directed the first two episodes of Raised by Wolves and also served as EP on the series, which left some fans wondering whether or not the show connects to Scott's magnum opus. 

For those formulating their own fan theories, you might want to pump the brakes, as the legendary filmmaker set the record straight with a very straightforward answer.

Recently, Ridley Scott took part in a Reddit AMA session to chat with fans about their opinions of Raised By Wolves on HBO Max. As questions and comments flooded in, one in particular stood out as especially rewarding for long-time Scott fans. User live-fast-die-hard popped the question to Scott regarding whether or not Raised by Wolves and the Alien franchise exist in the same continuity. After all, the two properties share some stylistic similarities and could take place at different points in the timeline, but Scott quickly dispersed any hopes for such a crossover.

"Interesting question but, no," Scott said, explaining that "the first Alien story feels like it may be some time before Raised By Wolves, in that the Nostromo was probably financed by an organised global economy. Wolves is about post-global war chaos." As far as he's concerned, the two projects could connect by some stretch of the imagination, but ultimately, they're completely separate. It doesn't get more definitive than hearing Ridley Scott put these rumors to rest, but this wasn't the only time someone involved with Raised by Wolves had to crush so many people's hopes.

On October 1, 2020, creator Aaron Guzikowski sat down with SyFy Wire to discuss his massively successful creation. Sure enough, during the interview, the matter of Alien being a prequel to Raised by Wolves came up, to which he echoed Scott's comments. He revealed that "we never talked about how specifically the series would fit into that mythology, nor was that really ever the goal," going on to label his program as "a close cousin" that "can kind of sit alongside it." 

While Raised by Wolves would make for a welcomed addition to the Alien saga, both boast a strong mythology of their own and don't necessarily need the help of the other. They're unique projects, and likely better for it.