Ridley Scott Says He Has “Covenant” Sequel Update and Reflects on Losing “Blade Runner” Rights

Ridley Scott offered an update on long-discussed plans for an Alien: Covenant sequel, while also reflecting on his previous experience with the Blade Runner franchise and his expectations for how those stories may evolve. In an interview published Aug. 26 by The Hollywood Reporter, Scott discussed where the Covenant follow-up stands, what he believes audiences want from the Alien universe, and how he approaches franchise filmmaking after decades of studio projects.

Scott’s remarks also returned to the subject of Blade Runner rights, a theme tied to how the franchise has moved through different development phases since the original films. Scott said he regrets losing the rights to Blade Runner, according to the interview, describing it as a loss connected to controlling creative direction over the property. He did not, in the interview summary, provide new details about timing or ownership changes, but he positioned the regret as part of his broader view of how business decisions shape creative outcomes.

The interview further addressed the Blade Runner 2099 project, which has been developed separately from Scott’s own later directorial work. Scott said he has thoughts about the project and how it fits into the broader Blade Runner world, according to The Hollywood Reporter, framing his comments around the franchise’s legacy and the technical and narrative standards that viewers often expect.

On the Covenant sequel, Scott’s comments were the most immediate in terms of audience interest. He said he has a new update on the planned follow-up to Alien: Covenant, which has been a persistent topic for years among fans awaiting a continuation of the story’s specific characters and mythology. The interview describes Scott’s discussion as an effort to clarify the state of development rather than an announcement tied to a release date, with Scott speaking in terms of momentum and creative fit.

Scott also addressed the industry’s broader shift toward AI-assisted production and competing approaches to visual effects. He said he believes he can compete with AI, positioning his perspective on filmmaking as rooted in directorial storytelling choices and production craft rather than automated methods. The Hollywood Reporter interview presented Scott’s comments as part of an ongoing conversation in Hollywood about the role of emerging tools and how established filmmakers plan to defend creative control.

Taken together, Scott’s comments underscore how major science fiction franchises are shaped by both creative planning and rights management. The Alien and Blade Runner properties are widely recognized for high production costs, effects-heavy execution, and tightly guarded brand identity. Scott’s statements reflect that a single filmmaker’s involvement can hinge on rights terms, development timelines, and studio decisions that can redirect a project even when fan demand remains strong.

The interview does not provide a definitive production timeline for the Covenant sequel or confirm casting or studio partners in the reported summary, so additional updates would likely need to come from the film’s producers or the studio involved. For Blade Runner 2099, the interview’s focus appears to be more about Scott’s viewpoint of the franchise than about new changes to the project’s schedule or creative team, leaving those details to be clarified through official channels.

For viewers watching franchise continuity and development momentum, the key practical takeaway is that Scott is indicating continued attention to both Alien’s next chapter and Blade Runner’s evolving ecosystem, while also describing a personal stake in franchise rights. The next steps, as with most large studio science fiction projects, would be expected through formal announcements about development status, production start dates, or distribution plans rather than through interviews alone.