Can you believe we’re so close to Alien Romulus invading the 2024 movie schedule? These last couple of weeks feel like they’ve flown by, especially with those terrifying Alien popcorn buckets haunting all of our dreams. Ok, fine, maybe they were only haunting my dreams; but they’re still pretty harrowing. And just when you thought it was safe to breathe a sigh of relief, a French theater has turned its entire building into a Xenomorph. Anybody else up for popcorn before the end of the world?
Cinema chain CGR Cinemas are the mad geniuses who have taken on this latest promotion for director Fede Alvarez’s odyssey into the Alien movies timeline. Remember how the Alien 3 teaser told us that on Earth, everyone would hear us scream? What you’re about to look at is going to prove that very point:
⚠️ Les Xénomorphes envahissent les cinémas CGR ! Rendez-vous dès le 14 août au cinéma pour découvrir #Alien : Romulus. pic.twitter.com/YEqbdWJFjQAugust 9, 2024
So here’s a terrifying math/science problem: if this Xenomorph from Alien: Romulus is that massive, how big does the Facehugger that started its life span have to be? Better still, how big is the host that birthed the thing? Using the size of that theater, and the footage from Alien: Romulus’ trailers, we can arrive at the answer that none of those questions matter. Rather, what we should be asking is, are we going to be able to sleep at night after seeing this?
That’s a perfectly valid query, as star Cailee Spaeny was still scared when recording ADR for the film. As Fede Alvarez’s previous catalog of frights includes the 2013 Evil Dead reboot, as well as the creation of Don’t Breathe, I’d believe that story. A journey into a nightmare this practical tends to leave a more profound mark on a person’s mind.
Ultimately, that is probably why I’m so taken with the marketing for this fresh offering. So much of an old school approach has gone into making Alien: Romulus that the process of selling the movie has organically taken that same tactic. Yes, there are trendy popcorn buckets, but that’s akin to the toys that used to sell Aliens to ‘80s kids who weren’t nearly old enough to see the movie in the MPAA’s eyes.
Now a new generation can see exciting promotions for a movie their parents probably won’t be taking them to… but will probably be asked to do so anyway. That knowledge is both frightening and heartwarming, and it has me properly amped to head into Alien: Romulus head held high.
We’ll all get our shot to do so real soon, as the picture closes in on its moviegoing prey starting with early showings next Thursday. So be sure to prepare yourself for survival with a Hulu subscription, as that’s where the first three Alien movies are currently streaming.
