As the premiere of the highly anticipated Alien: Romulus draws closer, promotional efforts are intensifying. With less than three months until the film’s release, Empire Magazine has unveiled a fresh still from the movie, featuring Cailee Spaeny’s character, Rain, leading the charge down a dimly lit walkway, with David Jonsson’s Andy following closely behind. Alongside the image, the magazine includes insights from the film’s director, Fede Álvarez.
When asked whether Alien: Romulus leans more towards the atmosphere of Ridley Scott’s original 1979 Alien or the high-octane action of James Cameron’s 1986 Aliens, Álvarez provided a thoughtful response:
“To ask an Alien fan to choose between them is a perverse question. So I thought, ‘How do I do both?’ There’s a moment where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo, then they cross through that building on the other side: boom! You’re in a hallway that looks like Hadley’s Hope [from Aliens].”
Both Alien and Aliens are hailed as groundbreaking entries in the sci-fi genre, with the original boasting a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and its sequel achieving an impressive 98%. While the franchise has produced numerous sequels and spin-offs, many fans believe none have quite matched the excellence of these first two films, though Prometheus, the 2012 prequel featuring Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, has garnered a dedicated fanbase.
Fede Álvarez Brings Passion and Vision to the ‘Alien’ Franchise
Franchise reboots often involve new directors bringing fresh perspectives to beloved series. However, Alien: Romulus finds a dedicated fan at the helm in Fede Álvarez, who is thrilled to direct a film within a franchise he deeply admires. Álvarez elaborated on the relationship between Spaeny’s Rain and Jonsson’s Andy, describing it as akin to a sibling bond:
“When her father was dying, he left Andy to be a kind of caretaker, but Andy is a bit damaged and he’s an older model. So more than a surrogate father, he becomes a younger brother to her. And that was always the heart of the story: this relationship between the two… and how that relationship unfolds once shit hits the fan.”
Álvarez’s enthusiasm for the Alien franchise is evident in his careful character development, aiming to create a narrative that resonates with both long-time fans and newcomers. Spaeny, who has also been cast in Rian Johnson’s next Knives Out installment, Wake Up Dead Man, is poised to showcase her range and talent in Alien: Romulus before joining Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc in a 2025 murder mystery.
Alien: Romulus is set to premiere in theaters on August 16. In the meantime, fans can catch up on the original Alien movie, now streaming on Hulu. Check out the newly released image to get a glimpse of what’s to come.
