New Alien: Covenant images reveal the dreaded Neomorph and the Engineers' homeland

With only a couple of weeks until the film is finally released in cinemas, 20th Century Fox has released three new images from Ridley Scott's eagerly-anticipated sci-fi Alien: Covenant [via Empire magazine]. And not only do they offer up a glimpse at certain characters played by Michael Fassbender and Guy Pearce, they also reveal the dreaded white-headed Neomorph too. Be warned, it's not a pretty sight...

Before we get to that though, there's a couple more to take a gander at. The first image is the most obscure of the bunch, depicting what looks like an Engineer as he stands and watches thousands of cylindrical pods descend (or ascend – it's not too clear) through a darkened opening. Could this be a glimpse at the civilisation's homeland? It certainly seems likely.

Another image sees Fassbender reprise his role as android David, who fans of the franchise last saw in 2012's Prometheus.

Pearce also appears in the still but seeing as his character, Peter Weyland, was killed by an Engineer at the end of the previous instalment, it seems safe to assume that this sequence will be a flashback to when the 'bot worked for the Weyland Industries CEO.

The last is definitely the most exciting – if you're a hardcore horror fan that is! It reveals the grisly-looking Neomorph, the latest in the Alien franchise's growing creature catalogue, eating – yes, eating, a human. Presumably one of the crew members of the titular spacecraft.

According to Alien vs. Predator Galaxy, the Neomorphs have come about due to the local ecosystem being mutated by black goo (which there was an abundance of in Prometheus). Over time, pods which would release the spore when disturbed started growing on trees and on the ground.

In Alien: Covenant, said material will reportedly infect several members of the crew by entering the body through the ear and nostrils. The spores then cause the growth of the Neomorphs inside the infected hosts and their preferred methods of exit are particularly grisly... bursting through the victim's back or throat.

They will reportedly closely resemble aliens seen in early concept art for Prometheus and be grey/white and translucent rather than be harsh black and metallic-like like the Xenomorphs. The website also notes that the monsters will have fanged teeth and pointed heads (rather like the Deacon alien seen right at the end of Prometheus).

"Upon birth, the Neomorphs move on all fours similar to the Bambi-burster from Alien 3. When they mature, they grow significantly larger and walk on their back legs," the publication previously concluded.

Alien: Covenant centres on the coupled-up crew of a colony spacescraft, who travel to an uncharted planet in the hopes that thousands of people back on Earth can eventually migrate there. Soon after they arrive they discover the land is dark and dangerous and the "sole" inhabitant is android David. But of course, it doesn't take them long to find out that there's also some scary-looking extraterrestrials lurking about to terrorise them too.

Also starring Carmen Ejogo, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, James Franco and Katherine Waterston, Alien: Covenant will be released in the UK and the US on 12 May 2017.