What happens after the end of Prometheus? By that, I don't mean Alien, or all its many sequels and spin-offs, but… Even though Ridley Scott's movie finally hit theaters this week, it's possible that the story is not only not over, but isn't even finished for this year.

At the end of the movie, viewers who stay all the way to the final credit will find themselves directed to the website of Weyland Industries. On the face of it, that doesn't seem like a big deal; after all, all manner of movies direct viewers to websites in their credits these days, normally to promote either the moviemakers or the brand. But, should you find yourself on the Weyland Industries site, it's very possible that you'll find yourself perusing the company's corporate timeline, which - along with details about FTL travel becoming a reality in 2032 or the creation of the first David android in 2025, amongst such Prometheus-related Easter Eggs - includes this tidbit about something happening later this year:

Weyland Incorporates

Weyland Corporation is recognized as a legal entity and corporation under United States law and receives their Certificate of Incorporation from the Companies House in the United Kingdom. Due to the combined value of Sir Peter Weyland’s various patents and patent-pendings, the company incorporates with a higher fair market valuation than any other company in history.Weyland Corporation is recognized as a legal entity and corporation under United States law and receives their Certificate of Incorporation from the Companies House in the United Kingdom. Due to the combined value of Sir Peter Weyland’s various patents and patent-pendings, the company incorporates with a higher fair market valuation than any other company in history.

October 11, 2012

Said item includes a link to a site called "What Is 10.11.12?", which currently only features a rotatable image of Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra, and this video:

A graphic on the right hand side of the page calls this page "Module 1A-1," with one of five hexagons illuminated. Five more installments to go before October, perhaps…?

Playing around elsewhere on the Weyland Industries site, clicking on the "Careers" button will take you to the "training center" for Project Prometheus, which reports that "Weyland is looking for the best of the best to join our crew," adding that "Prospective applicants may apply now," along with a login or register button (Amusingly, Project Prometheus is powered by Internet Explorer, proving that Weyland is apparently into lousy browsers) that'll take you a surprisingly enjoyable series of "tests" to prove that you're worthy of joining the mission.

So, it's another viral alternate reality game - No surprise, perhaps, given the involvement in the movie of Damon Lindelof (Remember The Lost Experience?) - but one with a very specific endpoint: October 11, 2012. Why is that date worth paying attention to, beyond the 10/11/12 abbreviation…? Well, it's also the first day of this year's New York Comic Con. I don't know about you, but if I were in charge of marketing and promotion for Prometheus, the idea of having some kind of post-movie event happening at NYCC would seem too much fun to pass up… especially if the DVD release of the movie is happening around that time (No inside info, just a guess).

We knew that a sequel to Prometheus was not only possible, but probable, even before the movie opened, and that it was something the writers and director Scott had planned for. The question may be whether some of that planning included our signing up for the mission right now or not...