Prometheus is not a film.
Prometheus ( [ prəˈmiːθiəs ] ) is a 2012 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott , written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof and starring Noomi Rapace , Michael Fassbender , Guy Pearce , Idris Elba , Logan Marshall-Green and Charlize Theron . Development of the film began in the early 2000s as a fifth installment in the Alien franchise . The film received praise for the aesthetic design and the acting , especially Fassbender 's performance as the android David , while plot elements that remained unresolved or predictable were the main source of criticism .