Prometheus director Ridley Scott reflects on his divisive 2012 prequel and the larger trajectory of the Alien franchise. After Scott's seminal 1979 film, director James Cameron released Aliens in 1986, but the films that followed, David Fincher's Alien 3 (1992) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Alien: Resurrection (1997), were less warmly received. Scott then returned to the franchise with Prometheus, which follows a team of scientists as they find themselves under threat while investigating a distant moon. Though the film was a success, its additions to franchise lore proved controversial.

During a recent interview with Deadline, Scott looks back on how the franchise expanded after 1979's Alien, sharing candid thoughts about how it developed without him. "They're f*cking it up," he recalls thinking. The legendary filmmaker also talks about his eventual return with Prometheus, explaining that he viewed it as a "resurrection" of his vision for the Alien franchise.

Scott seemingly laments not retaining more control over the franchise,...