'Alien: Covenant' release date, latest news: James Franco to join the cast of upcoming 'Alien' movie

The latest installment of the "Alien" horror film franchise will have a new cast member added to the fray.

According to Variety, actor James Franco will be joining the cast of "Alien: Covenant," a sequel to the 2012 film "Prometheus," in an undisclosed role. However, 20th Century Fox has yet to issue a statement confirming Franco's casting in the upcoming "Alien" movie.

Franco will be joining the previous cast members of "Prometheus" such as Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, and Guy Pearce, as well as newcomers Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Demian Bichir, and Danny McBride.

As to what possible role Franco will be playing in the upcoming "Alien" movie, Slashfilm reports the speculation which suggests that the actor will be appearing as a captain of colony ship "Covenant," who is married to Waterston's character, Daniels.

However, his role in the film will reportedly be short and will only last for about 10 minutes or so. Nevertheless, the actor is still expected to appear in the film's promotional materials.

Based on a script written by Jack Paglen, Michael Green, and John Logan, "Alien: Covenant" is about a colony ship called "Covenant" as it travels toward a remote planet found at the distant side of the galaxy. However, the ship's crew members will soon discover that the planet they believe to be an uncharted paradise is actually a dark and terrible world. In this planet, the only inhabitant is the synthetic David (Fassbender), a survivor from the failed and tragic Prometheus expedition.

"Alien: Covenant" will be the sixth installment in the "Alien" film franchise. Its predecessor, "Prometheus," was set in the late 21st Century, and it took place around 30 years before the events of the original 1979 movie, "Alien." "Prometheus" was a commercial success, earning $403.3 million at the worldwide box office.

"Alien: Covenant," directed by Ridley Scott, is scheduled to hit theaters on May 19, 2017.