Alien: Romulus Director Did Right By Franchise Fathers
Alien: Romulus filmmaker Fede Alvarez recently sat down for an interview with Variety, wherein he discussed his creative process for the upcoming sci-fi horror flick. According to the director, he worked closely with Ridley Scott and James Cameron to ensure the film was up to par with the best of the franchise, sparking excitement from Alien fans far and wide. While discussing the film, Alvarez peeled back the curtain on some of the franchise’s biggest mysteries, leading fans more hopeful than ever for the future of the franchise.
Still Chasing The Heights Of 1979
The Alien franchise was first launched in 1979, with Ridley Scott bringing the terrifying Xenomorph to life on the big screen. Nearly a decade later, James Cameron ratcheted up the high-stakes tension with a second outing in 1986’s Aliens, both of which served as critically acclaimed audience favorites. Since then, however, the franchise has suffered diminishing returns, with many fans failing to garner excitement when Alien: Romulus was first announced.
The Poorly Planned Prequels
Stabs at the franchise, such as Alien Resurrection and even Ridley Scott’s own Prometheus, failed to inspire the same fanfare as the first two outings, causing the franchise to go in another direction entirely. In comes Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez, whose impressive efforts behind the camera on gripping suspense films such as Don’t Breathe and The Girl in the Spider’s Web make him an ideal candidate to breathe new life into the Alien catalog. The first teaser trailer for Alien: Romulus was released recently on YouTube, showcasing impressive-looking visual effects and body horror sure to make you squirm in your theater seat.
Romulus Is A Bridge To The Second Film
According to his interview with Variety, Alvarez claims that much of his success in the film comes from notes he received from both James Cameron and Ridley Scott, who each provided input on the Alien: Romulus. The filmmaker also explained that the film takes place 20 years after the first Alien movie, in between the film’s ending and the start of Aliens. In this way, it seems that the film is both figuratively and literally a spiritual bridge between the 1979 and 1986 films, hopefully taking some of the best aspects of each.
Back To Basics
Additionally, Fede Alvarez seems to take great pride in his role as a director, explaining to Variety that he doesn’t enjoy sitting around aiming the camera at green screens all day long. In fact, Alvarez explained that he even puppeteers some of the practical Xenomorph monsters in a few shots throughout Alien: Romulus, which is a stunning example of his commitment to the hand-made feel of the film. Cameron and Scott have provided the filmmaker with their express blessings on the most recent cuts of the film, explaining that his commitment is indicative of the best of the franchise.
Bringing Back The Horror
Alien: Romulus is said to follow yet another team of deep-space explorers who encounter the vile xenomorphs while roaming the distant galaxy on a mission of some sort. While little is known about the plot at this time, the cast includes a host of fresh young faces, including Isabela Merced, Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, and David Jonsson. The film is slated to arrive in theaters on August 16.
Source: Variety
