Alien: Covenant: Prometheus actor Noomi Rapace to return after all

It was previously reported her character would not be coming back for the continuation

Few details were initially known about Alien: Covenant when director Ridley Scott announced the continuation of his once-beloved franchise other than it was to shed Prometheus' main character played by Noomi Rapace.

It seems, however, the filmmaker was bluffing - Swedish actor Rapace has been spotted on the film's Australian set.

Deadline reports that Rapace's archaeologist Dr Elizabeth Shaw will be showing up in Alien: Covenant after all alongside Demián Bichir, Danny McBride and fellow Prometheus actor Michael Fassbender (who returns as the synthetic David 8).

It's Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice, upcoming Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) who'll be the hero of this particular piece playing a character linked to someone we know very well.

The film’s official plot synopsis reads: "Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created in Alien with Alien: Covenant, the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with Prometheus - and connects directly to Scott's 1979 seminal work of science fiction.

"Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world - whose sole inhabitant is the 'synthetic' David (Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.”

This description excitingly confirms there be another film after Covenant, making up a full prequel trilogy linking directly to the original Alien.

Alien: Covenant is set for release in the US on 4 August 2017. A UK release date is yet to be confirmed.