Prometheus 2 is coming sooner than you think. After several years of speculation as to whether the sequel was actually happening, director Ridley Scott has just confirmed that he’s not only moving forward with the project, but that he’s already started working on it.

Scott spilled the beans in a recent interview with Empire magazine, while discussing his upcoming movie with Matt Damon, The Martian. When talk turned to the movie’s release, Damon quipped, “Ridley was done with the movie about two weeks after we shot!” Scott responded by casually stating, “I was already on to my next movie! I was starting to look for locations for my next movie, which is Prometheus 2.”

While 2012’s Prometheus grossed over $403 million worldwide, the movie earned somewhat of a mixed response with both critics and fans. The film earned praise for its haunting visuals and compelling lead performances (particularly from star Michael Fassbender), but many of those anxiously looking to return to the universe that Scott created in Alien weren’t left completely satisfied.

Following the divisive reaction, it was unclear whether Fox would still pursue a sequel, as initially expected. Scott brought up about the possibility of a follow-up in interviews several times over the years, but never confirmed if or when it was happening – until now. While the studio has yet to make an official announcement, it probably only a matter of time now that the director has revealed that it’s his next film.

With Scott having already started some legwork on the project, fans are now left to wonder what angle he will take in the film. When the director discussed the sequel last fall, he teased that the movie would be “getting away from gods and dragons” and focus on featuring a new type of alien.

“[The original Alien was] the definitive dragon and he’s a mother. The alien’s real which is why it’s probably one of the scariest monsters in film history,” Scott told The Australian last year. “So with Prometheus 2, what I’m trying to do is reintroduce a fresher form of alien in the third act.”

As of now, it remains unclear whether that’s still the plan or whether Scott has since changed his approach to the sequel. While fans will have to stay tuned to hear more, it seems as if specific details will probably come sooner rather than later. If Scott’s already started work on the project, the sequel will likely hit theaters sometime in 2017.

As for rumors that Scott’s Prometheus 2 could affect the release of Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5, the studio has yet to confirm or deny anything. However, recent reports claim that while the sequel won’t eliminate the possibility of a new Alien movie (which Scott is set to produce), it may delay its release, as the director is reportedly insisting on completing Prometheus 2 first. That means Alien fans likely won’t see the next movie until 2018.

In the meantime, there are plenty of other works from Scott to look forward to. The Martian is set to hit theaters on October 2. He will also serve as an executive producer on FX’s upcoming miniseries, Taboo, which stars Tom Hardy and is scheduled to premiere in 2016.

More From Entertainment Cheat Sheet:

•  5 Things ‘Star War: The Force Awakens’ Needs to Do To Be Amazing
• ‘The Martian’: Matt Damon’s New Space Movie May Surprise You
• 4 Reasons the ‘Aliens’ Franchise is Entirely Unique

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