The hype around the new Alien Romulus film is seriously intensifying after the publication of two media by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead). The return to basics seems very real.
Fans of the Alien saga know that there is a real problem with the film franchise which has lasted for more than 12 years. What’s the problem? The respective releases of Prometheus and Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, which greatly disappointed the majority of Xenomorph fans. So much so that the latter are even afraid each time new project(s) are announced. But hope is being reborn with the Disney+ series in development, but especially the next feature film which arrives on August 14, 2024 in French theaters.
The Xenomorph more beautiful than ever in Alien Romulus
Alien Romulus is the official name of the upcoming film directed by Fede Alvarez. A Uruguayan filmmaker who is popular with horror fans after having brilliantly resurrected Evil Dead (2013). Certainly, the director took the second step for something truly violent, visceral and gory, but he respected the frankness despite the chosen direction. An excellent genre feature film which reassures that it has been entrusted with the keys to the license created by Ridley Scott. Even if we don’t see much, the first teaser is already a great promise and contains a very brief glimpse at one of the worst scenes in the saga. We feel the influences of Alien, Aliens and even a little of the game Isolation.
Although he carefully avoided revealing the entirety of the Xenomorph, the creature was still present at the end of the trailer with its beautiful big deadly tongue. For Alien Day 2024, production provided a completely new image of the Xenomorph to the USA Today site. We only see his head, with its very sharp and slobbering jaw, but it is enough to comfort ourselves in the idea that Fede Alvarez seems to have mastered his subject. And to live up to this cinema monster, the director will use as many practical effects as possible in Alien Romulus. Whether for the Xenomorph, but also the very angry little facehuggers who appear in the video teaser.
A facehugger that comes to life thanks to practical effects
” He is [Alien Romulus] supposed to be inserted between the first and second films. They once again called on the same team as for James Cameron’s Aliens. The same people who designed the xenomorphs came to build ours. Seeing the original design, with the people who worked on these films for over 45 years and a huge part of their lives, is truly incredible.” said Cailee Spaeny, the actress who will be the “new Ellen Ripley” in this Alien Romulus (via Variety). Encouraging words but which ring false for many. Indeed, lately, many filmmakers are highlighting the fact of not having CGI. In fact, there always is, but the most important thing remains the dosage and quality.
Fede Alvarez got involved in his turn but played the transparency card with a video of the filming of Alien Romulus which will give some people a cold sweat. This clip shows the director controlling a mechanical facehugger that goes at full speed. “Me playing with my favorite toy on the set of Alien Romulus last summer. A remote controlled facehugger created by the incredible team at Weta Workshop » he said on an X post.