When Does "Prometheus" (2012) Take Place?
"Prometheus" is a science fiction film written by Jon Spaihts with Damon Lindelof that released June 1st, 2012. So when is "Prometheus" set?
It takes place on the fictional Alien vs. Predator timeline in the years:
We know this because one of the last lines of dialogue is: “It is New Years’s Day. The year of our lord, 2094.”So it does end on the first day of January in 2094 AD but the events that led to this end had to last more than 1 day.
2093 AD - 2094 AD
We know this because one of the last lines of dialogue is: “It is New Years’s Day. The year of our lord, 2094.”So it does end on the first day of January in 2094 AD but the events that led to this end had to last more than 1 day.
Furthermore, almost immediately after the prologue ends there is a time and place setting title card that reads, “DATE: DECEMBER 21, 2093 DISTANCE FROM EARTH: 3.27 X 1014 KM”. Characters mention that is’s Christmas, so at that point it’s December 25th, 2093 AD. The entire main action of the story passes in under a month.
Additionally, there are two prologues to the film:
-The first is very short and essentially unplaceable.
-The second is longer and labeled with a “ISLE OF SKYE - SCOTLAND 2089” time and place setting title card. So it's 2089 AD, while there seems to be no way to confirm this with context.
It is a midway chronological film in the Alien vs. Predator timeline (the chronological first film to feature an alien xenomorph) and can be watched either at its timeline point or entirely separately. [Expanded elements enrich the experience: it can be watched after the short film "Quiet Eye" (2012) and before "Alien: Covenant" (2017).]
