Summary
After a long legacy of mediocre sequels, the newest addition to theAlienfranchise seems to have impressed one of Hollywood’s most critical creatives.
It has been some time since Sigourney Weaver reprised her iconic role as Ellen Ripley, but the horror films keep chugging along. In recent memory, standalone projects such asPrometheusandAlien: Covenanthad some admitted shortcomings. But according to one director, Fede Álvarez’s upcoming film,Alien: Romulus, may not suffer the same fate. The director of theEvil Deadreboot andDon’t Breatheis putting his spin on the franchise, but the big test was showing the film to the original director, Ridley Scott.
At the DGA Latino Summit 2023, Álvarez explained how nervous he was to showAlien: Romulusto Scott, who is notorious for giving his unfiltered opinion. But after theBlade Runnerdirector watchedAlien: Romulus, his unfiltered thought was one of support. “And then he walks into the room and he did say, ‘Fede, what can I say? It’s f***ing great,’”Deadlinereported Álvarez explaining. “For me, it was like… My family knows it was one of the best moments of my life to have a master like him, whom I admired so much, to even watch a movie I made, but particularly something like this… and talk to me for an hour about what he liked about it. One of the best compliments he said was, ‘The dialogue is great. Are you the writer?’ Yes!”
Alien: Romuluswill reportedly be a standalone addition to the franchise and take place between the events ofAlienandAliens. Fans of the franchise will recall thatduring this time with Ripley’s story, she was in a deep sleep, waiting to be rescued, and will not appear in the film. Instead, it will focus on a new cast of characters from a distant planet who must confront one of sci-fi’s most terrifying beasts.
Álvarez is practiced in the horror genre, which could only be an asset. Injecting a fresh voice into the 40-year-oldAlienfranchise is what it needs. His take on theEvil Deadfranchise was generally well-received, showing he can stay true to a previous director’s vision. However, fans must wait to see if Álvarez deserves Scott’s flattery. The director noted that Scott has strong opinions, even dislikingtheBlade Runnersequel, which flipped the original on its head.
Scott isn’t infallible either, having directed some lackluster films himself. For someone who has been in the industry as long as he has, It is natural to make some mistakes along the way.TheAlien: Covenantendingwas not beloved by fans, while recent films likeHouse of Gucciwere bloated and over the top. Only time will tell ifAlien: Romuluswill be a deserving addition to the franchise.
