Alien: Romulus starts off like Alien, gradually becomes more like Aliens

Director Fede Álvarez’s contribution to the Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus, is set to reach theatres on August 16th (you can watch the teaser HERE), and to promote the film, Álvarez recently sat down for an interview with Total Film. During the conversation, the director said that Alien: Romulus starts off reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s Alien, then gradually becomes more like James Cameron’s Aliens – which seems fitting, given that the story actually takes place sometime in the years between the events of Alien and Aliens.

Álvarez said, “The environments, and the pace of it as well – it’s more similar to Alien for quite a bit. And then gradually – you won’t even know – you feel like it’s more Aliens. It’s a natural progression, and it happens effortlessly.“

Álvarez also revealed that he and co-writer Rodo Sayagues consulted Cameron about the script during an extensive phone call – which even included discussion of the size of the engines on the film’s ships.

When this project was announced near the start of 2022, it was said that Álvarez pitched the idea to Ridley Scott years ago and it stuck with Scott. So in late 2021, he called Álvarez and asked if he still wanted to make an Alien movie. Clearly, the answer was yes. 20th Century Studios division president Steve Asbell told The Hollywood Reporter that they picked up the project “purely off the strength of Fede’s pitch. It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.“

It has also been said that the story Álvarez and Sayagues crafted for Alien: Romulus is not connected to the other films in the Alien franchise – but it’s not ignoring any of the other entries, either. Álvarez has been clear about the fact that his story takes place within the established franchise continuity. It has the following official logline: The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla), David Jonsson (Industry), Isabela Merced (Madame Web), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Spike Fearn (The Batman), and Aileen Wu (Away from Home). Merced has said there’s a scene in the film that’s so disgusting that a lot of viewers will have to look away, so that goes along with the “graphic and gruesome” description. “Graphic and gruesome” is what we expected from this movie as soon as it was announced that it was being made by the director of Evil Dead 2013 and Don’t Breathe.

This new Alien movie is coming to us from Momentum and 20th Century Studios, with Ridley Scott producing through his Scott Free banner.

Total Film also unveiled a new image of Spaeny’s character in Alien: Romulus, and that can be seen at the bottom of this article.

Are you looking forward to watching Alien: Romulus and finding out how similar it is to both Alien and Aliens? Let us know by leaving a comment below.