Isabela Merced has faced quite a few challenges in her career as an actor. Whether it’s the sting of starcrossed love in Rosaline or treasure hunting in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, the young actor has gotten herself out of some tight situations. Now, Merced is about to find herself in a pretty scary scenario: fight Xenomorphs in the continuation to one of the best sci-fi movie franchises of all time: Alien.
Through news broken by Deadline, Isabela Merced’s casting in Fede Alvarez’s new/untitled Alien movie is the latest update for what is to be the seventh cinematic entry in 20th Century Studios’ legendary franchise. Set to debut as a Hulu exclusive, there are no specifics on the character Merced will be playing, the plot she’ll be a part of or even when to expect this new adventure to premiere.
The Alien saga isn't too hard to get your eyes on, as these are where you'll need to look at the time of publication:
Alien - Alien: Resurrection: available with a Starz/DirectTV subscription.
Prometheus & Alien: Covenant: available with a Hulu subscription
Previously, the Alien project had cast Cailee Spaeny as part of a presumed ensemble that’ll take on the Xenomorphs, because you never only send one human in on a bug hunt like this. While we’re unsure of the story to this next chapter will fit into the Alien franchise timeline, the casting that’s been announced is very promising. In the case of Isabela Merced, landing this gig only shows how she continues to be in high demand.
Another pretty huge franchise tapped the actor to be a part of its world, as Merced will also be seen in Madame Web, one of the upcoming entries in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Set to debut in 2024, Isabela has another claim staked in the universe of big ticket franchises. By comparison, the two experiences will probably be demanding in their own ways, but at least Madame Web shouldn’t have the acid-blooded beasts this Alien movie is bound to possess.
While we’re asking random questions about the franchise that was originated by Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, another interesting concern would be how/if this new project connects to what we know about the FX Alien series. Since both projects will be available on Hulu, and the Noah Hawley run series is going to be about the Weyland Corporation at the end of the 21st century, is there a chance that this story is meant to bridge the gap between the series and Prometheus? Or is there a chance that this tale will help make room for whatever ideas Ridley Scott has to fill in the gaps between Alien: Covenant and Alien?
Plenty of questions are left in the air when it comes to this mysterious movie. Isabela Merced being a part of the fun sheds some light on what to expect, but also leaves even more queries in its wake. Pointy tails crossed we won’t have to wait too much longer before learning more, as the Alien saga is overdue for another terrifying visit.
