Romulus Update Proves Ridley Scott’s Replacement Isn’t Being Wasted

An update from the set of Alien: Romulus confirms that the movie will feature at least one “disgusting” scene – providing proof that the movie is playing to the strengths of director Fede Álvarez. Body horror has always been an important part of the Alien franchise. Although the original movie’s chestburster sequence remains the series’ most iconic example (and one of the most important scenes in cinema history), every installment has relied on gore and the xenomorph’s violent nature to elicit terror. However, in Álvarez’s case, the pledge to continue this trend is particularly exciting.

Aside from a commitment to gore, little concrete is known about Alien: Romulus‘ story. An official synopsis confirms that the film will feature “a group of young people on a distant world, who find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe” – establishing a setup that’s not dissimilar to other entries in the franchise. However, Romulus star Isabela Merced has also confirmed that the movie includes one scene that’s so “disgusting” that the whole crew had to “turn away” when watching it on an iPad. It’s this detail that suggests, if nothing else, Alien: Romulus is making full use of Álvarez’s talents.

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Alien: Romulus’ Teased Disgusting Scene Is A Great Sign For Fede Álvarez’s Vision

The promise of a truly visceral body horror sequence in Alien: Romulus is not just true to the franchise’s origins but proves that Fede Álvarez is playing to his strengths as a director. His previous releases, such as Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe, have all utilized explicit content extremely effectively, highlighting Álvarez’s ability as a director to use violence to shock. Given that this is the primary purpose of Alien‘s chestburster scene, the fact that Álvarez is expressing himself in a similar way bodes well for Romulus being a tonally faithful addition to the series.

The confirmation from Merced of the scene’s explicit nature also suggests that Álvarez’s plans aren’t being diluted. Any time extreme violence constitutes part of a major studio release, there are inevitable concerns that studio interference will compromise the director’s vision for the sake of commercial appeal. Merced’s remarks about just how shocking one particular Alien: Romulus scene suggests that Álvarez may not have to compromise, with the result being that the finished movie is a true reflection of his vision.

Fede Álvarez Can Return Alien To Ridley Scott’s Original Sci-Fi/Horror Tone

Although later Alien movies have tried to recapture the haunting majesty of Scott’s original, none have been able to perfect the balance between immersive sci-fi and oppressive terror. Even before the movie’s commitment to “disgusting” violence, Álvarez’s career suggests he might be the perfect director to do it. Don’t Breathe remains one of the most intense horror thrillers of the past decade, while Evil Dead arguably surpassed the original when it came to shocking and unsettling gore.

It remains to be seen whether Álvarez can transpose the strengths of these movies into a sci-fi setting. However, the director’s previous work certainly suggests that he can go a long way towards recreating the original Alien‘s claustrophobic atmosphere. Whatever the other challenges of adhering to Alien‘s complex lore and timeline requirements, Álvarez certainly seems capable of delivering on the horror elements that make the franchise so iconic in Alien: Romulus.

Alien: Romulus

Director

Fede Alvarez

Release Date

August 16, 2024

Cast

Cailee Spaeny , David Jonsson , Archie Renaux , Isabela Merced , Aileen Wu , Spike Fearn