Prometheus’ original Shaw casting would have been a very different foreign movie

While Ridley Scott Prometheus Undoubtedly, it is underrated, and one of its failures is not unique to this film. As the fifth movie in the Alien sci-fi horror franchise, it’s hard not to compare the latest movies in the Alien franchise to the first two, and the iconic character Ellen Ripley. Although each subsequent installment in The Alien Series features at least one strong female characterNone have yet reached the popularity or cultural status that Ripley has. As for PrometheusIt stars Charlize Theron’s Elizabeth Shaw, the archaeologist whose quest sparks the events of the movie.

Prometheuss ambiguous opening scene introduces the Engineers, who engineer DNA to create life on other planets, including humans. This fact makes the religious Shaw to fight with her faith, and she ends up against the engineers, who returned to Earth with the xenomorphs to destroy human life there. Scott planned to make Shaw, meant to be played by Noomi Rapace, a recurring protagonist Similar to Ripley, with the Alien franchise following her journey, however, Shaw’s story was cut short, with the character’s body appearing briefly in Alien: CovenantWhile Android David 8 became the main protagonist.

Charlize Theron was originally lined up to play Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus

Theron instead plays the calculating Meredith Vickers

When originally casting PrometheusScott considered several different actresses for the part of Shaw, before choosing Charlize Theron. Theron has experience in a futuristic action role, playing rebel warrior Aeon Flux, and demonstrated that she can transform into playing a character in Monster. However, Theron has already committed to playing Furiosa in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury RoadAnd the schedules didn’t work together. when fury way was delayed, Theron returned to Prometheus Although Shaw has already been cast. Theron instead took on the role of Meredith Vickers, the corporate employee with an agenda.

Theron described her Prometheus character at a Comic-Con panel as “A suit that slowly sheds the skin through the film,” And compared her to a version of Ripley, even though Vickers is one of those Alien franchise’s many villains. Unlike Shaw, whose motivation is to explore both human history and her own faith, Vickers is desperate for control, and acts as the antagonist to Shaw throughout PrometheusWith Theron bringing elements of her action persona to her portrayal of Vickers.

Theron’s Shaw would have been very different from Noomi Rapace’s version

Noomi Rapace created a whole backstory for her role in Prometheus

Theron’s first speaking role was as a murderer in 2 days in the valleyin which she fought Teri Hatcher’s character, and one of Theron’s first action movie roles was the sure-to-be crack Stella in The Italian work. Over time, she began doing many of her own stunts, taking on more action roles and Tough, warrior-type characters became her signature. Now, Theron is a seasoned action star, meanwhile Rapace brings a different, more understated presence to her roles. Theron’s interpretation of Shaw would have been very different from Rapace’s less guarded portrayal of the character.

Scott first noticed Rapace for her award-winning portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in The girl with the dragon tattoo and its sequels, and at that time she agreed to work on the movie, Prometheus didn’t even have his title and was called “A prequel to Alien“Rapace’s characters often have an unconventional personal style, and she needed to make Shaw feel unique PrometheusWhen most characters wear similar space suits. Rapace created a whole backstory for ShawFrom childhood to boarding Prometheus, she worked with a dialect coach to master an English accent.

Charlize Theron’s show may be closer to Sigourney Weaver’s replay

The future success of the foreign franchise may mean leaving replay behind

Theron’s action characters tend to appear stoic unless something significant causes their facades to drop. Audiences saw this in her portrayal of Furiosa in fury wayAnd Theron confirmed that Furiosa was heavily based on Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley. If Theron was cast as Shaw PrometheusAudience may have seen a less expressive characterWith one big and powerful emotional moment. Rapace tends to let her character’s inner thoughts show, which brings an element of uncertainty to her portrayal of Shaw that sets her apart from Theron and Ripley.

No female protagonist in Prometheus Would be compared to replayAnd the success of the future Alien Movies may depend on creating a well-written character in her own right. It might be a good thing Theron isn’t cast as Shaw, leaving Rapace to put a different spin on the character. Even though Prometheus was less popular than before Alien movies, it introduced new types of characters and different motivations, like Vickers and her monstrous youth-obsessed father. Prometheus Couldn’t have completely succeeded in giving audiences something different with its protagonist, but it tried.