Looks like we finally have something cooking on the 'Alien' prequel front (though it's no longer a prequel). Deadline tells us that Noomi Rapace is now locked into the role of Elizabeth Shaw, while Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron are circling the film's other major female role, Vickers. Fox claims the other roles will be cast soon.

As far as story goes, we still don't know exactly what Ridley Scott has planned. We know that John Spaihts wrote the initial draft, and that Damon Lindelof was then brought in to work with Scott on re-writing that and expanding upon it. Says Lindelof, "In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true."

The not-quite-a-prequel is now called 'Prometheus,' and it's scheduled for a March 9th, 2012 release. There are five major roles (two of which are female). Apparently this is no longer the film we thought, and instead will be an entirely new film that uses the "Alien DNA." Says Scott, "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. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart."

Thoughts on casting? Is Jolie too big for a film like this? Is Rapace the next Sigourney Weaver? Do you like that they're taking it in a new direction, or would you rather a straight prequel? Sound off below ...