Exclusive: Real life alien inspiration behind Prometheus

New sci-fi epic 'Prometheus' is inspired by the real-life search for extraterrestrials, according to director Ridley Scott.

Speaking in Yahoo! Movies' exclusive video featurette for the 'Alien' prequel, Scott said: "This story walks around the truth of what there may be out there."

[Related story: Five things we learnt from the Prometheus trailer]

"The catholic church, NASA and various scientists say that without question there is biology out there in this galaxy… This stuff is all fundamentally based on feasibility."

Watch the video below.

Writer Jon Spaihts added that the movie drew upon theories which suggested Egyptian and Inca pyramids and Greek philosophers were assisted "by powers beyond the stars".

The movie stars Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green as scientists who find evidence - a star map - that suggests mankind was created by an alien species. They embark on a scientific mission onboard space ship Prometheus to find the planet on the map, and are joined by mysterious android David (Michael Fassbender) and ball-busting suit Charlize Theron.

Needless to say, things don't go as planned when they get there. Besides the philosophy and theorising on the origins of mankind, Ridley Scott promises that 'Prometheus' will "scare the s**t out of you".