Scott downplayed the film's ties to the Alien franchise, saying "while Alien was indeed the jumping-off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative."[62] In February 2011, Scott maintained that the film was not an Alien prequel,[63] but confirmed in December 2011, that the Space Jockey was still an aspect of the plot.[64] Fassbender stated the film would feature elements of Alien, saying "Prometheus is absolutely connected to Alien... There's a definite connecting vein."[65] In June 2011, Lindelof stated that he concurred with Scott's belief that the Alien creature had been "diluted" by the exposure it had received since Alien and did not want the film to be "burdened by all the tropes of that franchise with Facehuggers and Chestbursters". Lindelof stated that the film takes place in the same universe as Alien, but is not a story about the events leading into that film, saying "a true prequel should essentially proceed [sic] the events of the original film, but be about something entirely different, feature different characters, have an entirely different theme, although it takes place in that same world."[66] In June 2011 Scott said that Prometheus does occupy the same general universe as Alien,[67] and in July 2011 he stated that "by the end of the third act you start to realize there’s a DNA of the very first Alien, but none of the subsequent [films]"[68] and called it "pretty organic to the process and to the original",[68] but maintained a distinction between the two films, saying "we go back, we don't go forward."[68] In a February 2012, interview, Lindelof described the film as a hybrid in tone between Alien and Blade Runner, pushing a philosophical idea alongside action.[19]
