When a project enters development, there's no way of telling if it will actually be released, letting the certainty become clearer as production takes place. But it is rare to see a studio in possession of a completely finished product, opting for keeping it shelved inside a cold storage vault. If Disney has produced an anime series featuring an Alien vs. Predator rematch, why hasn't the studio shared the confrontation with fans? According to IGN, one of the producers behind the show, Joshua Izzo, has stated the product is ready to go, but for some unknown reason, the media conglomerate is keeping it for themselves:

There is, sitting at Disney now, at 20th Studios, 10 episodes of a fully completed Alien vs. Predator anime series that I produced. It's done. It's in the can. It's mixed; it's finished. It was produced and story cracked by Eric Calderon and Dave Baker, two unbelievably crazy talented guys.

Izzo used to have an executive position at Fox before the company was acquired by Disney, so his claim regarding the production of the series is completely legit. Izzo also mentioned how he presented the idea originally to Dave Bixler, the head of home entertainment at the studio, hoping for the series to be released directly to on demand options. Back the time, Alien: Covenant was in its first stages of development, meaning that the future of the franchise was still uncertain. Even if that movie managed to get made and released, the anime series didn't have the same fortune.

The reception to Covenant might've influenced the decision to not release the Alien vs. Predator television series, given how the film was a box office disappointment. Added to that, the review received by the latest installment of the franchise were underwhelming, criticizing the distinctly complicated script and the performances delivered by the cast. As the movie didn't count with either financial success or praise from critics, it was decided that the franchise wouldn't move forward for the time being, entering a period of three years when news regarding Alien's future weren't shared.

A still from Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Image via 20th Century Fox

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What's Next for the World of Alien?

Even if the Alien vs. Predator anime show is never released to the public, audiences can expect plenty of stories set in the world created by Ridley Scott more than forty years ago. A television series developed by Noah Hawley is on its way, said to be taking place on Earth in the near future. This would mean it could be the first story not to be even slightly related to Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Separately, a feature film directed by Fede Álvarez is currently filming, promising more horrifying action from the claws of the despicable xenomorphs. The future of the franchise looks bright. A release date hasn't been set for Noah Hawley's upcoming Alien television series.