50 Facts About Alien: Romulus

Setting and Timeline

Alien: Romulus is set in a crucial period within the Alien universe, bridging the gap between two iconic films.

1. The story takes place 20 years after the events of Alien and 57 years before Aliens.
2. This timeline allows for significant connections to both the original Alien and its sequel.

Plot Synopsis

The plot centers around a group of young space settlers who encounter the terrifying Xenomorphs on an abandoned space station.

3. The film follows Rain Carradine, a tough-skinned action hero, and her crew.
4. Their mission leads them to the abandoned space station Romulus.
5. The crew must navigate the dangers of the station and confront the alien threat.

Cast and Characters

A talented ensemble cast brings depth and diversity to the film's narrative.

6. Cailee Spaeny stars as Rain Carradine.
7. Isabela Merced, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu round out the main cast.
8. Each character has a unique background and set of skills.

Connection to the Franchise

Alien: Romulus is deeply rooted in the lore of the Alien franchise, offering fans plenty of familiar elements.

9. The film includes nods to the original Alien, such as the wreckage of the Nostromo.
10. References to the AI system MU-TH-UR, an upgrade of the Nostromo's AI system MOTHER, are present.

Ian Holm's Character

The filmmakers paid homage to Ian Holm's character from the original Alien.

11. Rook, played by Ian Holm, makes an appearance through CGI.
12. Daniel Betts provides the voice for Rook, adding continuity and nostalgia.

Weyland-Yutani Corporation

The infamous corporation is mentioned, hinting at their ongoing obsession with Xenomorphs.

13. Weyland-Yutani is not explicitly featured but is likely involved in future installments.

Sigourney Weaver's Absence

While Ripley is not in Alien: Romulus, her legacy looms large.

14. Sigourney Weaver does not appear in the film.
15. There is a possibility that one of the characters might have a link to Ripley.

Title Inspiration

The title "Romulus" draws from Roman mythology, hinting at deeper themes.

16. Romulus was the legendary founder and first king of Rome.
17. The title might set up another chapter with Remus or introduce the Xenomorph King.

Nods to Previous Films

Alien: Romulus includes several nods to previous films, enhancing its connection to the franchise.

18. The blue mist that Andy spots parallels Kane's discovery of the alien egg in Alien.
19. The character MU-TH-UR references the AI system MOTHER from the Nostromo.

Chestburster Scene

A significant link between Alien and Alien: Romulus is the chestburster scene.

20. A similar device is discovered by Bjorn, who threatens to use it on Andy.
21. Bjorn ultimately utilizes the device against an alien and several facehuggers.

Facehugger Encounter

The film mirrors iconic scenes from Aliens, adding to its continuity.

22. Rain, Andy, and Tyler encounter facehuggers and cocoons.
23. This scene mirrors Burke's line, "Busy little creatures," from Aliens.

Timeline Clarification

The film ensures that its events are accurately placed within the Alien franchise timeline.

24. Rook explains that it has been 20 years since the Nostromo incident.

Climactic Confrontation

The final showdown between Rain and the human-alien hybrid pays tribute to the original Alien.

25. Rain prepares to enter cryosleep when she must battle an alien.
26. A close-up of Rain's helmet as the creature approaches parallels an iconic moment with Ripley.

Spacefaring Humans

The film follows a familiar formula of spacefaring humans exploring remote locations.

27. The crew is compelled to leave their home base for a mission.
28. This formula is a common thread throughout the Alien franchise.

Initial Suspicion

Upon arrival, the crew senses something is wrong, setting the tone for the film.

29. The initial suspicion mirrors the suspenseful atmosphere of the original Alien.

Facehugger Incapacitation

A pivotal moment in the Alien franchise is the incapacitation of a crew member by a facehugger.

30. This scene is reminiscent of similar events in both Alien and Aliens.

Returning to Home Base

Despite protests, the incapacitated crew member is brought back to the home base.

31. This decision often leads to catastrophic consequences.

Alien Emergence

The gestating alien emerges and begins to pick off the crew one by one.

32. The alien escapes to the depths of the home base to grow.

Untrustworthy Member

An untrustworthy crew member complicates the group's attempts to survive.

33. This element adds an additional layer of tension and suspense.

Final Confrontation

The crew formulates a plan to blow the alien out of an airlock while escaping a catastrophic explosion.

34. The alien(s) are close to winning, and the crew is down to a sole survivor or small group.

Unique Continuation

While following a familiar formula, Alien: Romulus has been criticized for not being a unique continuation.

35. The film's reliance on familiar elements might make it feel like a callback rather than a standalone story.

Acting and Special Effects

The film has received praise for its acting, special effects, and cinematography.

36. The blue color palette and prominent use of blue lighting add to the eerie atmosphere.

Ripley's Influence

Rain Carradine is often compared to Ripley due to her tough-skinned action hero persona.

37. Rain evolves into an action heroine similar to Ripley.

Threat Perception

The sole alien on the Nostromo feels far more threatening than the dozens of Xenomorphs in Aliens.

38. This difference in threat perception adds to the tension and suspense.

Queen's Role

The absence of an Alien Queen raises questions about the Xenomorph life cycle.

39. Alien: Romulus does not feature an Alien Queen.

Xenomorph Life Cycle

The Xenomorph life cycle has not been consistently explained throughout the Alien franchise.

40. This inconsistency leaves room for speculation about how facehuggers are generated.

Mutagenic Liquid

The film introduces a mutagenic liquid that accelerates evolution at a lightning-fast rate.

41. This liquid has a connection to Engineer DNA but does not have the same effects as previous mutagens.

Rook's Importance

Rook, the science officer, explains the importance of the mutagenic research on Romulus.

42. His character highlights how significant this project was to Weyland-Yutani.

Abandoned Station

The station Romulus has been abandoned for some time, raising questions about Weyland-Yutani's actions.

43. The company's failure to recover their research adds to the mystery.

Lowly Workers

The main group of characters are lowly workers who want to get to Romulus before anyone else.

44. This decision seems illogical given the company's better scanning technology.

Xenomorphs' Delayed Attack

The Xenomorphs do not attack en masse until the third act, despite the humans causing a ruckus.

45. This delay raises questions about why the Xenomorphs did not attack earlier.

Xenomorphs' Habitat

The Xenomorphs are restricted to the Romulus module, explaining their delayed attack.

46. This restriction adds to the tension as the characters navigate the station.

Character Development

The characters undergo significant development as they face the alien threat.

47. Rain Carradine evolves from a tough-skinned action hero to a determined survivor.

Director's Vision

Fede Álvarez's direction is notable for its organic use of the blue color palette and prominent lighting.

48. This visual style enhances the eerie atmosphere.

Easter Eggs

The film includes several Easter eggs for Alien enthusiasts.

49. Nods like the wreckage of the Nostromo and references to MU-TH-UR add to the continuity.

Cinematography

The cinematography focuses on creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere.

50. The use of close-ups and wide shots enhances the tension, making each scene more engaging.

Final Thoughts on Alien: Romulus

Alien: Romulus is a thrilling addition to the Alien franchise. Set between the original Alien and Aliens, it bridges the gap with a fresh yet familiar storyline. The film follows Rain Carradine and her crew as they explore the abandoned space station Romulus, encountering terrifying Xenomorphs. With nods to the original films, like the wreckage of the Nostromo and the AI system MU-TH-UR, it keeps fans engaged. The absence of Sigourney Weaver's Ripley is notable, but the film leaves room for future connections. The special effects, acting, and cinematography are top-notch, creating an eerie atmosphere. While it follows a familiar formula, it introduces new elements like the mutagenic liquid and a human-alien hybrid. Alien: Romulus is a must-watch for both new and veteran fans, offering suspense, action, and a deeper dive into the Alien universe.