Alien: Romulus Easter Egg Gives Fans A Killer Clue
Whether they are an obscure or vague reference to one specific item or just a simple nod to an iconic franchise moment, Easter eggs can let fans know that the filmmakers are as big of a fan of a franchise as they are. One behind-the-scenes photo on the set of Alien: Romulus included an Easter egg referencing the 2014 survival game Alien: Isolation, by revealing one of the emergency phones serving as save points in the game.
Alien Day Easter Egg
Every year, April 26 becomes more than just another ordinary day for Alien fans all across the world. Regarded as “Alien Day,” the holiday celebrates anything and everything that has to do with Xenomorphs, the ferocious species of alien that has a reputation for having a pretty bad temper and an impressive set of chompers.
The day (4/26) was chosen for its reference to LV-426, the moon that the crew of the Nostromo lands on during the events of Alien.
On Arpil 26, 2023, during the production of Alien: Romulus, director Fede Alvarez released a behind-the-scenes image that immediately caught the eyes of most Alien fans.
The image showed a Facehugger draped across a film slate on the set of a space craft, with a very familiar object just off in the distance. In the background, an emergency phone station, made famous by the video game Alien: Isolation, can be seen.
Save Stations
In Alien: Isolation, the emergency phone stations worked as save points for players. While speaking to GamesRadar+, Alvarez admitted that it was his experience playing Alien: Isolation that opened his eyes to the endless possibilities in the Alien franchise.
“Alien: Isolation was kind of what made me see that Alien could truly be terrifying and done well,” he said.
Recounting his time playing the game, Alvarez pointed towards the game’s environment and creature design for encouraging him to pursue developing Alien: Romulus.
“That’s why, at the time, I was like… ‘If I could do anything, I would love to do Alien and scare the audience again with that creature and those environments,'” he said. According to Alvarez, the emergency phone stations will be more than just a behind-the-scenes Easter egg.
Brace For Impact
In the game Alien: Isolation, the save stations are usually located in areas where players can expect to shortly come across a heart-stopping challenge or run for their lives from a blood-thirsty Xenomorph.
Similar to the video game, the stations will also be featured throughout Alien: Romulus, often working as a warning to viewers that something bad may be about to happen. Alvarez jokes that when the emergency phone stations are seen on screen, it might be time to “brace for impact.”
The Movie
Alien: Romulus follows a crew of young space colonists who unknowingly walk directly into a terrifying nightmare that pushes them to the brink. The crew are sent to a derelict space station and are tasked with salvaging anything of use that they are able to find. Unfortunately for the crew, they find something far more sinister and unforgiving than scrap metal and working equipment.
Cast And Crew
In March 2022, it was announced that Alvarez would be co-writing and directing a new entry into the Alien franchise. Alvarez penned the script alongside writer Rodo Sayagues, with Alien director Ridley Scott serving as producer. The film stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.
Source: GamesRadar+
