Neill Blomkamp’s latest film, Chappie, opens in theaters this Friday, but the original sci-fi work has become overshadowed by what the director is planning next. A couple of weeks ago, Blomkamp signed on to helm a new installment of the Alien franchise (following postings of unofficial concept art) – and ever since then, moviegoers have been discussing the possibilities a new movie presents.

While little is known about the plot at this point, Blomkamp has gone on record saying that he intends his new project to be a sequel to James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens, placing it as the third movie in the series canon. Later, he stated that he’s not looking to undo Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection, though a ret-con in the mold of Superman Returns would be difficult to do unless one did ignore the latter two Alien movies.

Sigourney Weaver’s involvement with Alien 5 (not the official title) is all but a guarantee given how both she and Blomkamp are looking forward to completing Ellen Ripley’s story with their latest collaboration, but who will Weaver’s co-stars be? If the film is indeed a direct followup to Aliens, it could mean the return of fan-favorite Hicks (Michael Biehn), who was featured in one of the more noteworthy pieces of concept art the director shared – featuring a weathered Ripley and Hicks (whose face sported the after-effects of being hit with xenomorph blood) preparing for battle against an unseen force.

The video game Aliens: Colonial Marines (released in 2013) actually ret-cons Hicks’ apparent death in Alien 3, so there’s already a precedent for the character still being alive during (and after) the events of the third Alien film installment. Blomkamp spoke with Digital Spy to promote Chappie, and Biehn’s inclusion in the film was one of the topics covered. Blomkamp was brief on any confirmations, saying simply that “hopefully” audiences will see Weaver and Biehn team up again.

In addition to Blomkamp’s wishful thinking, Biehn has supposedly chimed in on his potential involvement with the new Alien film. Reddit user Sskywarpe was able to ask the actor a couple of questions while Biehn attended Pensacola Comic-Con over the weekend, which of course dealt with the newly-announced sequel. According to the source, Biehn “smiled and said ‘Yes’” when asked if he had been contacted about the project, and exclaimed “Looks like it!” in response to whether or not he’d be up for it.

Now, it’s important for readers to take Biehn’s alleged quotes with a healthy dose of salt, but it seems like Corporal Hicks will be getting a second lease on life thanks to Blomkamp – something that will no doubt please many longtime fans. Though Alien 3 does have its supporters, one of the largest points of contention surrounding it is how it so ungracefully bids farewell to Hicks, Newt, and Bishop (Lance Henriksen) by killing them off in the opening moments (though Bishop is briefly resurrected later in the film). Bringing at least Hicks back would certainly help land the new Alien film in the good graces of viewers.

The idea of Blomkamp, who has made a name for himself as a sci-fi visionary, helming a film set in the Alien universe was a prospect that enthused many, and that excitement has been ramped up to 11 with word that the narrative will be picking up after the last universally-beloved entry into this series. As we await official confirmation from Fox that the old guard is returning, fans will run with these quotes as they continue to speculate how everything will play out. With a director looking to refocus his creative energies and classic icons reprising famous roles, there’s a lot to look forward to.

We’ll keep you updated on Neill Blomkamp’s Alien movie as more information becomes available.