Neill Blomkamp is developing new Alien movie

Neill Blomkamp, director of District 9 and the upcoming Chappie release, has had his Alien dream project green-lit by Fox.

Variety confirmed the news which Blomkamp had announced via his Twitter feed last night.

The news comes relatively quickly after the director shared artwork of a potential Alien sequel - featuring Ripley - two months ago online. The director had stressed then that the concept artwork, which also featured an Alien Queen, "had nothing to do with the studio", suggesting that it was either fan art, or part of a pitch he'd potentially put together. "Woulda rocked," he stated. "Was a mental stroll into the world Ridley Scott created."

The artwork suggested a return of Ellen Ripley and Corporal Hicks, potentially as an alternative storyline continuing on past James Cameron's Aliens sequel, rather than the events of the David Fincher Alien 3 follow-up.

Whether the publication of that artwork and the positive coverage galvanised the studio into making a move, or discussions were ongoing, is unknown, nor whether the next movie will be based on the ideas that Blomkamp pitched - though it's worth noting that Ripley herself, Sigourney Weaver, has worked with Blomkamp as part of the Chappie cast.

May be a good excuse to break open your Alien movie box-set, or settle down for another run through Alien: Isolation.