Natalie Portman is looking the favourite in the hunt for the lead female role for Ridley Scott's Alien prequel. The person she'll have to beat? Noomi Rapace.

With Lost's key player Damon Lindelof having recently finished a new draft of the script, Scott is still casting about for his feisty female star. And Natalie Portman is pretty much available, now that she's dropped out of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which she's producing) and also dropped out of Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity.

Studio peeps seem pleased with Lindelof's work so far, with the leading role taking the form of a female military general. Scott's been meeting with a lot of actresses in the preparation for what is generally thought to be a return to the original Alien's suspenseful horror feel. The director's already met with Noomi and liked her a lot, but Natalie Portman is top of the list, and a pretty solid choice too. There's only one way to settle this... FIGHT!