Why Alien: Romulus Could Be a Good Thing for the Franchise

A Return to Original Premise

Alien: Romulus won't be a sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant, but there are numerous reasons why this could be a good thing for the franchise. Ridley Scott started one of the most successful franchises in sci-fi horror history when he directed Alien in 1979. The legendary director crafted a lean, terrifying horror movie from Dan O'Bannon's screenplay, 'Starbeast.' Alien saw Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley evade the titular Xenomorph as the monster picked off her co-workers one at a time aboard the Nostromo. Combining the slasher movie formula of Halloween with the space setting of Star Wars, Alien proved a huge hit upon release.

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in an astronaut suit looking up in Alien 1979

Now, 2024's upcoming Alien: Romulus promises to be a return to the franchise's original premise as the standalone movie will follow a new group of characters encountering the Xenomorph on a remote planet. Alien: Romulus will take place between Alien and Aliens, effectively ignoring Scott's prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Ridley Scott won't return to direct Alien: Romulus, with Fede Alvarez taking over for this sequel. While this means that the story set up by Prometheus and Alien: Covenant won't be relevant to this new sequel, there are numerous reasons that this could be a good thing for the franchise.

Fede Alvarez, director of Alien Romulus, superimposed over two shots of Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise.

Exploring a More Interesting Period

Alien: Romulus is set between Alien and Aliens, making this the first time that the franchise has explored this period. Alien: Romulus acting as an interquel makes the movie's story more intriguing. Admittedly, Ripley can't return in Alien: Romulus since her character is in stasis when the movie takes place. However, the sequel could still flesh out the world of the franchise thanks to its period setting.

Carrie Hen's Newt sleeping in Aliens ending scene

The time between Alien and Aliens has historically been ignored. Alien: Resurrection jumped far into the future to justify Ripley's return while Scott's prequels traveled back to the past, but Alien: Romulus makes the movie's story more intriguing by acting as an interquel. This period setting provides an opportunity to delve deeper into the world of the franchise and explore uncharted territory.

Carrie Hen's Newt with a xenomorph behind her in Aliens

A Fresh Perspective

Fede Alvarez is perfectly suited to Alien: Romulus. The fact that Scott isn't returning to direct Alien: Romulus means that Alvarez can take over, and Alvarez's horror remake legacy proves Alien is in good hands. As the director of Don't Breathe, Alvarez proved he could turn a single-location chase movie into a thrilling, terrifying horror picture, and with Evil Dead 2013, the director showed that he could blend wild gore with effective scares and moments of pitch-black humor. Alvarez is perfect for Alien: Romulus and the director wouldn't have gotten a chance to reboot the franchise if Scott continued the series with another prequel. As such, Alien: Romulus is considerably more exciting than an unnecessary sequel to Scott's earlier prequels.

Alien Romulus director Fede Alvarez superimposed over an images of a screaming Xenomorph Queen

The news that Alien: Romulus will star an all-new cast of mostly rising stars makes it more exciting than another Scott prequel. An Alien: Covenant sequel would have required returning stars like Michael Fassbender, which could have made the series feel stale as it has been six years since that prequel's 2017 release. In contrast, hiring Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, and David Jonsson ensures that Alien: Covenant feels fresh and original. These stars will inject new life into the series, and the news that Weaver won't return as Ripley makes this smart Alien: Romulus story choice all the more promising.

Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny in Pacific Rim Uprising and a Xenomorph from Alien: Covenant