The first trailer for Prometheus, the much-anticipated film by Ridley Scott, arrived online December 22, signaling a return of director Ridley Scott (Robin Hood) to science-fiction, a genre he defined with his signature style in 1979's Alien and 1982's Blade Runner.

The one-minute trailer opens with an ominous voice uttering, "I was so wrong. I'm so sorry."

The story follows a team of scientists and explorers investigating an alien species on a distant world to learn about the origin of mankind. There they discover the clues to life's mysteries but must do battle to save the future of the human race.

The footage includes quick-cut imagery of the spaceship traveling, a planet's landscapes, Michael Fassbender examining a glowy green specimen, a face clutched, screaming, crashing, explosions, Charlize Theron running, bodies flying, and an immense crescent-shaped alien spacecraft.

The pounding of an alarm-like note counts down dramatically until title cards end with the fateful lines: "They went looking for our beginning. What they found could be our end."

The film stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) as scientist Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) as an android, Charlize Theron (Young Adult) as a businesswoman, Idris Elba (Thor) as Captain Janek, Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) and Guy Pearce (The King's Speech).

Written by Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost) and Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour), the horror adventure was originally intended as a prequel to Alien and evolved into a story with the "DNA of Alien," according to the LA Times, and is shrouded in secrecy.

Prometheus debuts in France and the Netherlands on May 30 and opens worldwide during the first week of June. -- AFP RELAXNEWS

WATCH THE TRAILER: