Alien: Romulus Director Has Surprising Reason for Prioritizing Practical Effects

Alien: Romulus Director Has Surprising Reason for Prioritizing Practical Effects

As a lifelong fan of the Alien franchise, I couldn’t be more thrilled about the upcoming release of Alien: Romulus! Having grown up watching the original films, I’ve always been captivated by the raw, visceral terror they evoke and the intricate world-building that sets them apart.


The movie titled “Alien: Romulus” debuts in cinemas this week, and it’s causing quite a stir as it’s the newest addition to the “Alien” series. Critics are already singing its praises, with an impressive 82% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A significant factor contributing to this acclaim is the film’s extensive use of practical effects. While some might argue over whether practical or CG effects are superior in quality, for “Alien: Romulus” director Fede Alvarez, it’s not about that. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of providing a tangible experience for the cast and making the film itself. In an interview with ComicBook, Alvarez stated that the debate over effects goes beyond mere preference; for him, it’s all about striving for authenticity.

Alvarez stated, “The discussion of which looks better or if something is better because CG should blend seamlessly is essentially irrelevant. What truly matters is finding the best approach for our team and myself when creating the movie. This involves having events occur that we can respond to and capture on camera, taking place in authentic locations. I’m not here to film green screens and empty spaces that will later be filled by animators.” He continued, “I want to share with you directly the experience of working on a set where everything is real.”

In her own words, Cailee Spaeny – our lead actress – mentioned that the practical effects in the movie really amp up the fear factor. She added that it was truly a delightful experience for her and her fellow actors to have hands-on practical effects during the production.

She expressed her belief that the use of computer-generated (CG) effects can make a movie scarier because she can tell when something is CG. On the other hand, practical effects like those used in the original “Jurassic Park,” where she knows it’s people in suits, create a much more intense fear since they seem so real. She hopes that audiences will share this feeling and finds it exciting as an actor to work with artists who build these creatures and have the opportunity to collaborate with them. Furthermore, she believes that both actors and film lovers are craving practical effects again, making the set more intriguing with the presence of these talented artists.

What is Alien: Romulus About?

As a gamer diving into the world of “Romulus”, I’m ready to encounter a band of spirited space settlers who will lock horns with the scariest creature the universe has ever known. The concept for “Romulus” was sparked by a deleted scene from James Cameron’s “Aliens”, featuring young colonists, which served as its foundation.

In a desire to present something fresh and unique, he decided to explore the idea from a perspective that hadn’t been showcased before: characters who are neither experts nor scientists; they’re also not adults. He found appeal in the idea of placing ordinary people at the heart of the story, making them more relatable to the audience since the audience is largely unfamiliar with space realities. When the characters are professionals, they possess knowledge that surpasses ours. However, when they’re young adults, they’re still learning how to navigate the spaceship, much like the audience is navigating through an unknown realm of space.

He added, “It’s likely that they grew up together since their parents worked on the same vessel. This is how they became acquainted… Their past runs deep because they are each other’s only family. They behave more like foster siblings, and some of them even shared a home. Many of the main themes in the movie revolve around siblinghood and its significance. Interestingly, the larger Romulus plot and the Weyland-Yutani saga are linked to this as well.”

The movie “Alien: Romulus” features Cailee Spaeny, known for her role in “Civil War”, David Jonsson from “Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”, Archie Renaux of “Shadow and Bone”, Isabela Merced who starred in “The Last of Us”, Spike Fearn from “Aftersun”, and Aileen Wu. The director is Fede ?lvarez, known for his work on “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe”, along with Rodo Sayagues (also a collaborator on “Don’t Breathe 2”). They direct based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

The sci-fi film “Alien: Romulus” is created by Ridley Scott, who previously directed the original “Alien”, produced and helmed “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant” from the same series, along with Michael Pruss, known for “Boston Strangler”, and Walter Hill, who worked on the original “Alien”. The executive producers for this project include Fede Alvarez (“Don’t Breathe”), Elizabeth Cantillon (“Charlie’s Angels”), Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), and Tom Moran (“Unstoppable”).

Alien: Romulus hits theaters on August 16th.

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2024-08-16 05:40