It’s a classic debate among sci-fi fans: Alien or Aliens? Do you prefer Ridley Scott’s tense, horror-infused original, or James Cameron’s adrenaline-pumping, action-packed sequel? Both films are titans of the genre, each with a valid claim to being the best. For Alien: Romulus, director Fede Alvarez has crafted a sequel that blends the best of both worlds.
“To ask an Alien fan to choose between them is a perverse question,” Alvarez tells Empire in the latest issue. “So I thought, ‘How do I do both?’” His answer is a film that combines the creeping dread of Alien with the relentless action of Aliens, set in a time frame between the two originals.
This dual approach even extends to the film’s aesthetic – the galactic Renaissance Station is divided into two distinct sections: the ominous, Alien-inspired Remus and the high-tech, Aliens-style Romulus.
“There’s a moment where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo,” Alvarez explains. “Then they cross through that building and on the other side: boom! You’re in a hallway that looks like Hadley’s Hope [from Aliens].”
The story centers on Rain, played by Cailee Spaeny, who wields an Aliens-esque Pulse Rifle, and her android foster brother, Andy, portrayed by David Jonsson. “When her father was dying, he left Andy to be a kind of caretaker,” Alvarez says.
“But Andy is a bit damaged and he’s an older model. So more than a surrogate father, he becomes a younger brother to her. And that was always the heart of the story: this relationship between the two… and how that relationship evolves once chaos ensues.”
With a mix of intense scares and explosive action, Alien: Romulus promises to deliver the ultimate evolution of the franchise. Prepare for a thrilling ride that honors the legacy of both Alien and Aliens, while carving out its own unique place in the sci-fi canon.