Creating Shaw in PROMETHEUS 3D!

There has been a lot of speculation that “Prometheus” is a prequel to Scott’s highly acclaimed earlier film, Alien. The director wants to keep the story under wraps so that audiences view the film without preconceived ideas.

But he has admitted that there are links. In “Prometheus,” the mission is funded by Peter Wayland (Guy Pearce), the ageing head of a huge corporation. The action takes place 30 years before the story told in Alien.

Leading the Prometheus expedition is the character of Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace. From director Ridley Scott, who delivered the likes of “Thelma & Louise” and “Alien,” we can immediately expect a strong character to inhabit Shaw's spacesuit. And at the hands of Rapace, best known for her work in the tremendously-popular Swedish Millenium series, she comes alive as a new action heroine for the 21st Century.

Many characters evolve before actors are cast to play them, but not so Shaw, who was developed and refined in close collaboration with Rapace. Says Ridley Scott: “I find most of my inspiration from low-budget movies now. If we aren't watching movies, we close ourselves down. And there's a great output, suddenly, of Scandinavian films. More than a year ago I saw “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” because I'd heard it was successful. I was absolutely taken by it. Noomi was this very special little punk actress who I thought was definitely the real thing. Then I heard that she was in town in Hollywood, and I just called up her agent and said I’d like to meet her. She walked in and was a very elegant woman. I suddenly realised that I was dealing with a real actress, who can literally change her spots.”