I was extremely lucky to have seen ALIEN Covenant before being spoiled by the inevitable gush of spoilers that'll come after this weekend. Beyond this first weekend, the film's impact will be diminished to a devastating degree. I saw the movie expecting little more than a rehash of Prometheus, with less "Mystery Time" and more "Oh Jesus Everyone Is Going To Die Horrifically."
What I got was a very satisfying set of shocks.
I saw the following two videos before viewing the movie in the theater. While they aren't absolutely necessary for understanding ALIEN Covenant's content, they did enhance the experience. Director Ridley Scott wants you to see the two videos below before seeing the final film in theaters. These videos made the film feel deeper for me, and made the mysteries of Prometheus feel sewn more deeply into the fabric of the second film in the trilogy.
Above is the video called "The Crossing". It was created for and meant to be viewed by audiences before seeing ALIEN Covenant. "The Crossing, an official prologue short to Alien: Covenant, reveals what happened to crew members Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and the synthetic David after the events of Prometheus. Set aboard an abandoned Engineer vessel, Dr. Shaw repairs David as they continue their search for humanity's creators."
Second is "Last Supper" which shows the crew of the Covenant preparing to go on their long journey to a new world. "The official prologue to Alien: Covenant introduces the crew of the mission as they gather for a final meal before entering cryosleep."
I was grateful for not having seen any other trailer before the movie here on opening weekend. There ARE trailers and images on ALIEN social media accounts (out now) that take a real crack at revealing the film's key plot points for those not yet properly motivated to pay for a ticket. There are officially promoted videos, photos, and screengrabs out there today that kick the film directly in the teeth.
ALIEN fans should not dare to miss this film in theaters. As soon as possible.