Like the "Star Wars" saga, the "Alien" franchise is something of a chronological Rubik's Cube, in that the movies coming out now predate the movies from the 1970s and 1980s on the fictional timeline.

Crafting a good prequel film can be tricky. While it is exciting to see backstories of fan-favorite characters or the genesis of a cinematic world, the audience usually knows the outcome of the film.

The Alien franchise has a history of using the same actors for multiple roles. In a universe where androids look human, and ...