Romulus' Footage Brings Chestbursters to CinemaCon

The Big Picture

Alien: Romulus
teases terror in space with throwback vibes to the original films in the beloved franchise.
Director Fede Álvarez promises visually stunning sequences, practical effects, and jaw-dropping moments in the film.
The franchise’s iconic chestbursters make an appearance in exclusive preview footage shown at CinemaCon.

The crew in Alien: Romulus will need to have their wits about them if they have any hopes for survival, as new footage for Fede Álvarez’s offering to the beloved film series — shown exclusively at CinemaCon— teases plenty of terror lurking in the farthest reaches of space. This is the second look fans have received at the next project to come from the celebrated sci-fi horror franchise, as the first peek came at the end of March and foreshadowed a bloody and brutal battle between extraterrestrials and humans. Boasting throwback vibes, today’s footage pins the story between the original Ridley Scott classic, Alien, and James Cameron’s celebrated sequel, Aliens, a choice that gives the story a better chance of success among audiences.

In CinemaCon’s first look at Alvarez’s terrifying sci-fi flick, the crew members of Alien: Romulus are in for a terrifyingly long night. With an already positive reaction coming from franchise starter, Scott, we can confirm that this one will be filled with visually stunning sequences, practical effects, and intense and jaw-dropping moments. Two of the teammates are trapped in a blocked-off hall with Spaeny trying to break through the door to get them out. As they scramble to get out alive, the trapped men don’t even notice that aliens have hatched and are swimming through the flooded area to attack. By the end of the teaser, it’s too late for the entire crew as an alien has burst from one of the astronaut’s chests, starting the nightmare all over again.

The road to Alien: Romulus has been a bumpy one — to say the least. The first few films were (and are) considered to be gargantuan pinnacles in the genre, with directors like Scott, Cameron, and David Fincher pouring their unique visions into their respective projects. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to repopularize the story of man vs. alien, the last several installments didn’t quite pack the same punch as the ones that came before. In all, there are eight titles in the franchise (with Romulus marking number nine), which includes the two Alien vs. Predator crossover flicks. With a hefty voice of support from Scott, audiences can expect Álvarez’s film to restore glory to the Alien name.

Starring in Alien: Romulus is Cailee Spaeny, whose career has taken off like a rocket ship to outer space over the last few years after appearances in projects like HBO’s Mare of Easttown and Sony’s The Craft: Legacy launched her to stardom. Along with Romulus, the actress will soon be seen in Alex Garland’s Civil War and just recently caught the eye of critics in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. Joining Spaeny in the throes of intergalactic battle are David Jonsson (Rye Lane), Isabela Merced (Madame Web), Spike Fearn (The Batman), Archie Reneaux (Shadow and Bone), and Aileen Wu.

‘Alien: Romulus’ Will Be Bursting With Nostalgia In More Ways Than One

There’s nothing we love more than a good hit of nostalgia and that’s what we’re being promised with Alien: Romulus. Along with the story taking place between the first two movies in the series, Álvarez has also teased that he brought in the original team to deliver the movie’s larger-than-life practical effects. This means that there will be less of a reliance on computer graphics in bringing the Xenomorphs back to screens and more human craftsmanship, with the filmmaker heralding the VFX team as being “at the top of their game.”

Stay tuned at Collider for more Alien: Romulus as it arrives and catch it on the big screen when the movie touches down in theaters on August 16. Learn more about the film here in our all-encompassing guide.