Huge new sci-fi show’s stars on chances of S2 filming in Ireland and franchise crossovers

The much-anticipated new sci-fi series is available to stream now.

Focusing on a group of half-human, half-machine youngsters who discover a whole host of extraterrestrial horrors while investigating a crashed spaceship, you can check out our thoughts here on the sci-fi series.

Ahead of the show's release, JOE had the opportunity to interview three of its stars together: Babou Ceesay (Free Fire), Samuel Blenkin (Black Mirror) and Timothy Olyphant (The Mandalorian).

During our conversation, we asked the trio about the Irish connections to the franchise and potential future crossovers.

In regard to the former, Irish Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender famously played the android David in two previous film entries in the franchise: Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.

Alien: Earth also features a notable Irish star amongst its supporting cast. This is Michael Smiley, who audiences may recognise from the shows Bad Sisters and Luther and/or the movies Free Fire and Kill List.

Ceesay co-starred opposite Smiley in Free Fire, making Alien: Earth a reunion for the pair.

Indeed, Ceesay tells JOE he was delighted when he realised the Belfast man was part of the sci-fi's cast and would be coming to Thailand to film.

"We went out to dinner all the time. Yeah, I love Michael so much," he says.

Alien: Earth Season 2 in Ireland?

Sticking with the Ireland connections, in a Variety article in the run-up to Alien: Earth's release, the series' creator, writer and director Noah Hawley noted that filming the first season of the show in Bangkok was "challenging".

He also said that if Alien: Earth earns a second season renewal, he hopes that the production can move.

As the Variety piece notes:

"[Hawley] describes Bangkok as 'a challenging location for a number of reasons — the health and well-being of your crew; my ability to participate.' Citing Wednesday (which moved between seasons from Romania to Ireland) and Game of Thrones (which came to have units in several locales while based in Belfast), Hawley hopes to have conversations 'about the best route forward in producing the show'."

Readers may note that the two other shows Hawley referred to were filmed in Ireland.

As such, JOE had to raise the possibility of an Alien: Earth season two filming in the Emerald Isle to Blenkin, Ceesay and Olyphant, while also noting that the decision would ultimately be Hawley and Disney's decision.

In response, Olyphant joked: "I hear your pitch! … I'll throw it in the hat. I like your thinking."

Ceesay then reflected on his positive experience working in Ireland in the past: "I filmed there actually for nine months. I lived in Dalkey [in Dublin]. It's extraordinary."

When JOE joked that Ireland might be more convenient for British actors Blenkin and Ceesay, the latter replied, laughing: "Well, I live in Africa now, so you know, nowhere's convenient."

Alien/Predator crossover

Given that Disney currently owns both the Alien and Predator franchises, there has also been renewed talk in recent years about another crossover between the two.

The two monsters famously shared the screen in 2004's blockbuster Alien vs. Predator and its 2007 sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.

Alien: Earth does introduce some brilliantly creepy new extraterrestrial threats. As Ceesay's character Morrow says in the trailer for the show: "This ship collected five different lifeforms from the darkest corners of the universe. Monsters!"

That said, a Predator does not appear in the first two episodes that are streaming now.

When we bring up the possibility of a Predator appearing in Alien: Earth in the future, Olyphant jokes: "We're checking his availability. Just checking."

How to watch Alien: Earth

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission on any sales generated from it.

The first two episodes of Alien: Earth are streaming on Disney+ now, with the rest of the eight-episode series dropping weekly on Wednesdays.