Recently, multiple reports surfaced about Ridley Scott revealing his insights about the much-anticipated new movie in the Alien franchise.
Fede Álvarez wrote and directed the movie, and out of respect for Ridley Scott’s original vision for the franchise, he showed the completed version of the film to Scott for approval.
In a series of discussions, Scott revealed some aspects of the plot and provided his perspective on the film’s direction. Many of us had been eagerly awaiting “Alien Awakening,” which was expected to pick up David’s storyline.
Contrary to these expectations, it has been announced that an entirely separate feature, titled “Alien Romulus,” is set to emerge as the next chapter in the alien franchise. The production of “Alien Romulus” is not only underway but has been completed, despite almost no information about this movie.
For some reason, everything about this new Alien installment has been kept in secret. However recently Ridley Scott shared his thoughts on the film. But before diving into what Ridley said, here’s some general context about “Alien Romulus” and everything we know so far about the movie including these major aspects.
The movie is set to be released on August 16, 2024, and it received a stamp of approval from Ridley who said that “it’s fu…ing great” in addition to few other things.
One notable detail about Alien Romulus is the young cast, which is unrelated to any characters from previous films in the Alien franchise. This could be a really good news since by having a young cast the studio might be planning to release multiple movies in the future keeping the same characters.
However this movie will be produced by Disney unlike previous alien films made by Fox. Since Disney tends to disappoint fans with their new visions for old franchises there might be some concern about this movie.
In many ways, “Alien Romulus” is a soft reboot, entirely unelated to previous Alien films. The only visual clue we have is this photo shared by the director: an image of an alien face-hugger wrapped around a clapperboard.
In addition there is only a short official synopsis that reads, “Young people from a distant world must face the most terrifying life form in the universe.”While the brief plot description is somewhat vague, it hints that “Alien Romulus” might be a sort of Gen Z versus the xenomorph.
Although we don’t know the release date of the teaser trailer for this movie, we can make an educated guess. the first trailer for Alien Covenant was released in December 2016 just 6 month before the movie hit the theaters. Therefore, if Disney decides to follow the same blueprint, we can expect to see the first Alien Romulus trailer in February or March 2024.
Another major concern is that the movie might be woke since its Disney, but it’s worth noting that Álvarez previously directed a really good horror movie called “Don’t Breathe”, a film with a premise similar to many Alien movies – people trapped in a confined space with a terrifying monster chasing them.
Since Fede Alvarez has some experience directing these types of horror movies, there’s some optimism that “Alien Romulus” will be an excellent horror film despite any potential wokeness.
Since “Alien Romulus” is a soft reboot, it has to justify the reset of the franchise, especially given that “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant” did not have proper conclusions. Despite the issues with “Alien: Covenant,” I am actually interested in seeing the continuation of David’s storyline, which connects to the other movies in the franchise.
On the other hand, the story of “Alien Romulus” appears to be separate from the other Alien films, which is a significant drawback. So I hope the movie proves its worth and validates the decision to diverge from the established alien timeline.
“Alien Romulus” is reportedly situated in the timeline between the first “Alien” movie released in 1979 and its sequel, “Aliens” from 1986, suggesting that this installment could shed light on some events on “LV-426” and potentially delve into the history of the derelict spacecraft.
Since “Alien Romulus” is not directly tied to the previous movies in the series, it make me wonder regarding how the narrative will introduce the Xenomorph in the film, and whether the plot will involve the iconic alien eggs on LV-426 or transport viewers to a new and uncharted location.
Many official statements described “Alien Romulus” as a standalone movie within the broader Alien universe, yet it may still answer one of the lingering mysteries surrounding LV-426: the reason behind the colony in the movie “Aliens” being unaware to the presence of the alien juggernaut until its unexpected discovery.
While it is generally expected that the Engineers will not be central to the plot of this new film, there is potential for the narrative to include references to the Space Jockeys or provide some exposition about their backstory.
Upon completing the initial edit of “Alien Romulus,” Fede Álvarez made the decision to present it to Ridley Scott, seeking his insights and the honor of his endorsement for the movie’s direction and adherence to the spirit of the Alien legacy.
Speaking at the DGA Latino Summit, Álvarez mentioned showing the finished film to Ridley Scott. He recalled, “Even if he was going to say, ‘You destroyed my legacy,’ I wanted to face him. I didn’t want an impersonal email starting with ‘Ridley says…’” Álvarez continued, “Ridley walked in and said, ‘Fede, what can I say? It’s fantastic.’ For me, it was one of the highlights of my life to have someone I admire so much watch and appreciate my work, especially something as significant as this. One of the best compliments he gave was about the dialogue, asking, ‘Are you the writer?’ To which I replied, ‘Yes!’”
From one perspective, these news are particularly exciting, since Ridley Scott has great taste in films, so his enthusiasm for this new Alien movie generates even greater anticipation. The fact that he has given it his stamp of approval adds a layer of excitement to witness this new chapter in the Alien franchise.
Another promising aspect is that Ridley Scott’s positive feedback suggests that the established lore of the Alien universe remains intact in “Alien Romulus.” Disney has a tendency to alter the canon and lore of classic franchises during reboots, which is frequently met with disapproval from fans. Hence, Ridley’s overwhelmingly positive reaction may signal that the rich universe built over the last four and a half decades has not been disregarded or dramatically altered to accommodate the narrative of the new film.
On the flip side, Ridley’s positive comments could be influenced by pressure from Disney. It appears that Disney deliberated on the direction of the Alien franchise and chose to pursue a reboot, shedding the past in favor of new characters, a fresh vision, and a new director. It’s possible that Ridley is simply playing along because he understands the franchise has to move on without him.
Overall, it seems that Disney feels considerable pressure to get this new Alien movie right, which is why they’re opting for an independent film. They’re cautious about not alienating the dedicated fan base, taking minimal risks by making a straightforward xenomorph horror film without delving into an expansion of the Alien lore.
This strategic choice is highlighted by bringing in Fede Álvarez, a director with a proven horror pedigree. As mentioned earlier, Álvarez directed “Don’t Breathe,” a film whose tense atmosphere and terror are reminiscent of the Alien series.
While I am thrilled that we are about to whitness a new Alien movie, I am keeping my expectation pretty low. Given the unpredictable nature of soft reboots and the franchise’s new trajectory, it’s best to remain cautiously optimistic about this next alien film.