Update: Deadline reports that Billy Crudup, last seen in Oscar hopeful Spotlight, is in "advanced negotiations" to join the cast.
Now looking to start his cameras rolling next month on Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott has yet again boosted the cast complement by four, with Jussie Smolett, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz and Callie Hernandez all joining the ensemble.
Much of the film's story is still a mystery, and with Michael Fassbender as the only person from the Prometheus cast listed as returning, it remains to be seen how this new film connects with Scott's last trip to the Alien universe and how it'll link forward through the next couple of movies (the director is aiming for a new trilogy spawned by this one) to the time of Ripley and co.
So we don't yet know what the new arrivals will be doing, or how they mesh with those already cast including Katherine Waterston, Demian Bichir and, most intriguingly, Danny McBride. Also reportedly aboard, albeit behind the scenes? Composer Harry Gregson-Williams, who has provided the music for Scott's last few movies.
Smolett is probably best known for US TV hit Empire (disappointingly not set behind the scenes of our mag office, which wouldn't be suitable for TV), while Ejogo has been seen in films such as Selma and Ride Along 2, and has a role in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. Seimetz appeared in Upstream Colour and You're Next and you might recognize Hernandez from Machete Kills and the From Dusk Till Dawn TV series. She'll next crop up in Damien Chazelle's La La Land.
With script work from Michael Green, John Logan and Jack Paglen among others, Alien: Covenant will be stalking our cinemas from October 6 next year.