Summary
Ridley Scott’s optimistic comments about the future of theAlienfranchise bode well forAlien: Romulus. Since Scott directed the originalAlienmovie released in 1979, several other directors have contributed to the franchise, includingJames Cameron directingAliens,David Fincher directingAlien 3,and Jean-Pierre Jeunet directingAlien: Resurrection. Scott has been openly critical of the sequels that followed, specifically taking issue withAliensbeing more of a science-fiction action movie than the suspenseful, science-fiction horror story that began the franchise.
Scott later returned to directthe prequelsPrometheusandAlien: Covenant, which received a more divisive reception thanAlien. The long-running franchise changed course again with the upcomingAlien: Romulus, a story that is set betweenAlienandAliens, and helmed by horror director Fede Álvarez. The future of theAlienfranchise has looked uncertain at times, but now looks more promising than ever after Scott’s overwhelmingly positive response toAlien: Romulusand his collaboration with Álvarez.
Alien: Romulus' Biggest Promise Means The Franchise Can Finally Break A Deadly 45-Year Trend
Alien: Romulus keeps promising that it will kill a lot of characters, and this could mean the franchise is going to break a trend Alien started.
Ridley Scott Wants Fede Álvarez To Make More Alien Movies After Romulus
This Could Be Only The Beginning Of Álvarez’s Contributions To The Franchise
As a producer onAlien: Romulus,Scott enjoyed a collaborative process with Álvarez, in which he was regularly consulted on the creative decisions being made in the new franchise installment. Both Álvarez and Scott have shared their mutual respect for one another, with Álvarez valuing the creative input he sought from Scott, and Scott admiring the clarity of Álvarez’s creative vision. Scott even shared that he"hope[s] Fede’s got another one up his sleeve because I think this is going to do really well. He’s got a streak of brilliance.”
While Scott is understandably protective of theAlienfranchise given his extensive history with it, he emphasized how much the franchise needed Álvarez, stating that"The danger of all franchises is they do die unless somebody suddenly decides to pick up the mat and run down the field with a ball. Fede is a surge of energy, and I had to step back and let him do it.“It is highly promising that the director of the originalAliennot only approves ofAlien: Romulus, but sees him as essential to continuing and revitalizing the series.
Ridley Scott Endorsing Fede Álvarez Is A Huge Deal
Scott Is Never This Complimentary Of Other Directors' Sequels To His Original Films
Scott’s endorsement of Álvarez speaks volumes, based on his critical comments in the past about other creatorsdirecting sequels to his original works instead of him. He was not only critical ofAliens, but has shared that he wished he had been the one to direct the sequel instead of Cameron, along withwishing he had directedBlade Runner 2049instead of Denis Villeneuve. Part of the reason Scott directed the upcomingGladiator IIis that he wanted to finally direct a sequel to one of his celebrated films instead of someone else doing it.
Which Movies You Should Watch Before Alien: Romulus (& Which You Can Skip)
Alien: Romulus is the ninth installment in the franchise, but its place in the timeline means that not every other movie has to be watched beforehand.
This is a significant juxtaposition from his comments about Álvarez’s direction ofAlien: Romulus. Scott clearly trusts Álvarez’s creative vision more than he trusted the visions of Cameron, Villeneuve, and other directors who continued the stories he first told. Cameron and Villeneuve are incredible directors in their own right, including in the science-fiction genre, but even they were unable to win his approval, which hints atAlien: Romulusbeing truly special, and possibly even living up to the heights of the originalAlien.
Ridley Scott & Fede Álvarez’s Relationship Is Great For Alien’s Future
Scott & Álvarez Can Continue Their Collaboration
IfAlien: Romulusis as stellar as Scott teases it to be, and if it does well at the box office and has a generally positive reception, Álvarez will undoubtedly get the opportunity to direct more stories within the franchise. He would be the natural choice to direct anAlien: Romulussequel, but the vast timeline of the fictional universe also leaves the potential for Álvarez to develop a story set at a different point in the continuity. Scott’s faith in Álvarez could even see him handing his prequel trilogy over to him.
The story that began inPrometheusand continued intoAlien: Covenantremains unfinished, butÁlvarez could step in and complete the final installment of the prequel trilogy, and perhaps make changes that will make the last entry be better-received than its predecessors. Even if this does not happen, there are plenty of other creative options that can arise through the strong partnership that Scott and Álvarez have developed.Alien: Romulusis poised to be the franchise’s best installment in years, and only the beginning of more excitingAlienstories to come.
Alien: Romulus
Cast
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
