[Shaun]

A sequel to Prometheus is in the works, 20th Century Fox have confirmed.

Directed by Ridley Scott, the sci-fi blockbuster was conceived as a sort of prequel to Scott's 1979 classic Alien. Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace starred as members of a spaceship crew attempting to prevent the extinction of the human race.

Released in June (2012), Prometheus has grossed $303 million (£195 million) worldwide from a $130 million (£83 million) budget. Industry commentators considered this a respectable total, but not enough to make a sequel a foregone conclusion.

However, Fox's president of production Emma Watts has now told The Hollywood Reporter that Scott and the studio are plotting a follow-up for a 2014 or 2015 release. "Ridley is incredibly excited about the movie, but we have to get it right. We can't rush it," she added.

Fassbender and Rapace are already contracted for a second film. However, Fox and Scott are holding talks with new writers because Damon Lindelof, who co-scripted Prometheus with Jon Spaihts, may not be available to pen a sequel. Lindelof has several projects ongoing either as screenwriter or producer, including the untitled Star Trek sequel and World War Z, a zombie movie starring Brad Pitt.