Can "Alien: Romulus" Bring the 'alien' franchise out of the shadows?

With the release of a trailer for the new film, many fans are hopeful that the glory days of the "Alien" franchise will return.

Image obtained from Mikita Yo via Unsplash

The “Alien” franchise had a tremendous beginning with the first “Alien” film releasing in1979. The film terrified and excited a new generation of science fiction enthusiasts, and would stand the test of time as one of the best installments in the genre. The grotesque nature of the film, combined with its excellently crafted sequences of horror and suspense are what made the movie so enjoyable to many.

The franchise has consistently been trying to compete with itself and other science fiction/horror films and franchises alike. The second film in the “Alien” franchise was simply titled “Aliens”, and is a direct continuation of the story from the first movie. Many believe the second film to be much more interesting and an over all better film when compared to the first installment.

The third installment, however, is where the praise typically comes to an end. “Alien 3” is a bleak and uninteresting spin on the otherwise interesting tropes of the series. And I won’t even give “Alien: Resurrection” or “Alien vs. Predator” the dignity of being spoken about. Essentially, the Alien franchise, despite some interesting prequel attempts in the form of “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant”, has been left in the dust.

However, many long-time fans of the franchise have reason to believe that a new installment will revitalize the suspense and horror that they have been yearning for. “Alien: Romulus” is set to take place between “Alien” and “Aliens”, which themselves only have about a 57-year gap timeline wise.

The movie aims to utilize many of the techniques and components from the original installments, even going as far as utilizing practical effects as much as possible, by way of utilizing the same people behind the effects in “Aliens”.

The hope that the director, Fede Alvarez, has is that it will bring back many fond memories and feelings associated with the earlier films.

As always, take care and safe travels!

-Ethan Fletcher, signing off