The Alien film saga has had a major impact on cinema and popular culture. Since the release of the first film, Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, the saga has redefined the science fiction and horror genres. It also set new standards in creature design, special effects, and visual storytelling. Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, became a feminist icon and a model for strong protagonists in action films.
Alien Romulus is set between the first and second films of the Alien saga. Bringing back the terror and suspense that made the franchise iconic, Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez tells the story of a space crew on a mission to loot a valuable lost ship. Rain, played by Cailee Spaeny, is the new female lead in the saga, carrying on the legacy of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, who is seen as one of the first heroines in action cinema and a symbol of female empowerment in the industry.
One of the most striking things about Alien when it first came out in the 1970s was the sense of claustrophobia and tension it created. Thanks to its dark atmosphere where you almost never saw the monster. On De Estreno, we asked Fede Álvarez how he recreated that claustrophobic feeling in Alien Romulus.
“A lot of it comes down to production design—the design of the ship and the spaces where the characters are. Being on a spaceship is inherently claustrophobic because there’s nowhere to run. You can move around the ship all you want, but in the end, there’s no way out, and no one is coming to help. Isolation is one of the key elements of horror, and it’s crucial for telling a strong horror story.”
For Alien Romulus, director Fede Álvarez went back to one of the techniques that made the original Alien movie so iconic: casting an actor with specific physical traits to wear the ALIEN suit. Most of the Alien scenes were shot without CGI, using a real person in a costume.
Another interesting thing about Alien Romulus is that it was originally planned to be released only on streaming platforms, not in theaters. But after some test screenings for executives showed the film’s potential and quality, they decided to give it a theatrical release so audiences could enjoy it in the best possible way. Have you watched the movie already?
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