Prometheus (2012 film)

Prometheus
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ridley Scott
Written by	Jon Spaihts Damon Lindelof
Produced by	David Giler Walter Hill Ridley Scott
Starring	Noomi Rapace Michael Fassbender Guy Pearce Idris Elba Logan Marshall-Green Charlize Theron
Cinematography	Dariusz Wolski
Edited by	Pietro Scalia
Music by	Marc Streitenfeld
Production companies	Scott Free Productions Brandywine Productions Dune Entertainment
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	May 31, 2012 (2012-05-31) (Empire) June 1, 2012 (2012-06-01) (United Kingdom) June 8, 2012 (2012-06-08) (United States)
Running time	124 minutes[1]
Countries	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$120–130 million
Box office	$403.4 million

Prometheus is a 2012 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. It is the fifth installment of the Alien film series and features an ensemble cast including Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Charlize Theron. Set in the late 21st century, the film centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as it follows a star map discovered among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. Seeking the origins of humanity, the crew arrives on a distant world and discovers a threat that could cause the extinction of the human species.

Scott and director James Cameron developed ideas for a film that would serve as a prequel to Scott's science-fiction horror film Alien (1979). In 2002, the development of Alien vs. Predator (2004) took precedence, and the project remained dormant until 2009 when Scott again showed interest. Spaihts wrote a script for a prequel to the events of the Alien films, but Scott opted for a different direction to avoid repeating cues from those films. In late 2010, Lindelof joined the project to rewrite Spaihts's script, and he and Scott developed a story that precedes the story of Alien but is not directly connected to the original series. According to Scott, although the film shares "strands of Alien's DNA," and takes place in the same universe, Prometheus explores its own mythology and ideas.

Prometheus entered production in April 2010, with extensive design phases during which the technology and creatures that the film required were developed. Principal photography began in March 2011, with an estimated $120–130 million budget. The film was shot using 3D cameras throughout, almost entirely on practical sets, and on location in England, Iceland, Scotland, Jordan, and Spain. It was promoted with a marketing campaign that included viral activities on the web. Three videos featuring the film's leading actors in character, which expanded on elements of the fictional universe, were released and met with a generally positive reception and awards.

Prometheus was released on June 1, 2012, in the United Kingdom and on June 8, 2012, in North America. The film earned generally positive reviews, receiving praise for the designs, production values, and cast performances, but was criticized for its uneven script and unresolved plot points. The film grossed over $403 million worldwide. A sequel, Alien: Covenant, was released in May 2017.