Some franchise expansions feel like a one-and-done experiment. Others land so well that the next chapter starts taking shape before fans have even had time to fully recover from the first one. That’s been the case with Alien: Earth, which proved there was still plenty of nightmare fuel left in the Alien universe when it made the jump to television, and now, the series is getting ready to head back into production.
According to star Sydney Chandler, Season 2 of FX’s sci-fi horror series is scheduled to begin filming in May 2026. Chandler shared the update with Deadline while appearing at the Texas Film Awards, where she was being honored with the Rising Star Award. She also said she hasn’t seen any scripts yet for the new season.
As previously reported, production on Season 2 is shifting from Thailand to London’s Pinewood Studios, a fitting move given Pinewood’s history with the franchise. The studio lot was previously home to the original 1979 Alien, Alien³, and Prometheus, so the series is quite literally heading back to one of the saga’s creative birthplaces. An Instagram post from executive producer and producing director Dana Gonzales also teased the Season 2 ramp-up, with Gonzales writing that he was “super excited” to start the journey of the next season in the “Alien universe birthplace.”
How Good Is ‘Alien: Earth’?
Collider’s review stated that Alien: Earth proves the long-running sci-fi franchise still has plenty of life left in it, with creator Noah Hawley delivering a bold expansion of the universe that blends horror, philosophy, action, and corporate satire into one of the most ambitious stories the series has told. Ross Bonaime added that what makes Alien: Earth stand out is how it expands the franchise beyond the typical survival story. While the films often focused on small groups fighting xenomorphs in isolated locations, Hawley uses the series format to explore the broader world surrounding those conflicts.
Much like how Dan Trachtenberg was able to zoom out on the Predator franchise and make it into something far greater and more exciting than it had been in years, Hawley does the same thing with Alien. Much like how he turned Fargo into a celebration of everything that makes the Coen brothers great, he’s tapped into every facet of what has made Alien a tremendous and always surprising series of films, and expanded on those details in a clever and fun way. Alien: Earth is the kind of project where you can feel the love for the franchise seeping into every frame, and Hawley has finally had the opportunity to dig into this world the way he sees fit — and he does so spectacularly.
Alien: Earth is streaming now on FX.