Prometheus is a film.
Principal photography . Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed , with actors on set and cameras rolling , as distinct from pre-production and post-production . 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 . According to Scott , although the film shares `` strands of Aliens DNA , so to speak '' , and takes place in the same universe , Prometheus explores its own mythology and ideas . 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 . The film grossed over $ 403 million worldwide .