AceShowbiz -

The beautiful, deadly alien is back. Production Weekly has learned that "Species 4", a third sequel of the Species franchise, is currently in development and Nick Lyon has been picked up to be at helm. Lyon himself recently directed the Sci Fi Channel's telefilm of "Grendel" which is slated to come up on the network next month.

Set to start the production in Mexico City by early October, pic will center its story on a beautiful and brilliant young university professor named Miranda Hollander who is actually an alien hybrid created by her "uncle" Tom Hollander and his former scientific associate Forbes McGuire. Things get worse when Miranda's bestial alien side emerges and wreaks blood havoc all around her.

While film cast and producers have not yet been revealed, it has been confirmed that Ben Ripley is returning to pen the script. Ripley previously has written the third installment of the franchise which went directly to video in 2004.