New Alien: Covenant Image Reveals the Return of the Space Jockey

Although 2012's Prometheus was a loosely-related prequel to the Alien franchise, the upcoming Alien: Covenant promises to be a full return to the sci-fi horror series. A scary first poster was released earlier this month, and a new behind-the-scenes image features a familiar sight. It's the Space Jockey, first viewed in the original Alien, and it was tweeted to celebrate director Ridley Scott's 79th birthday.

Alien: Covenent hits theaters on May 19, 2017. It stars Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Demian Bichir, and Danny McBride.

Earlier this month, Fassbender revealed that he plays two roles--David, his robotic character from Prometheus, and a new version of the android. "I am allowed to say I am playing two robots: Walter and David," he said, via AvP Galaxy. "I think what's great about it is that Ridley has gone back to the original DNA of Alien, the horror element of that.

"But it also has the scope and the scale of Prometheus. Ridley has cut it already. He is a machine. He is an incredible human being, and he was in such good form. He is such an imaginative and mischievous figure."

In other news about Alien: Covenant, it is rumoured that Guy Pierce will reprise his role as billionaire entrepreneur Peter Weyland in the movie. Pierce appeared as an older Weyland in Prometheus, and according to AVP Galaxy will feature in the opening scene of the new movie. All will be revealed in May.