In space, no one can hear you scream, which is definitely part of how the Alien saga has claimed so many victims over decades of service. With some fresh blood heading into that canon, one of the best sci-fi movies is going to see its story taken in a new and interesting direction. As production is gearing up to start soon, new details have indicated a pretty big break from tradition is coming with this new batch of intergalactic terror.
According to the press release issued by 20th Century Studios, the next Alien movie is set to start filming next week in Budapest. As previously announced, Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe director Fede Alvarez is set to helm the film based on a script he co-wrote with frequent collaborator/Don’t Breathe 2 director Rodo Sayagues.
What’s even better is that this new treasure trove of information reveals the first plot points from this new movie, though the revelation of how this Alien entry is changing the game may have some recoiling as if they’ve seen the Xenomorph/Human hybrid from Alien Resurrection (you know the one). Read on to get those juicy initial details:
In this ninth entry in the immensely popular and enduring film series, a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
It's the kids, Ripley! Something's gotta be done about the kids! On one hand, a new entry in the traditionally blue collar/anti-corporate horror show that uses young characters to tell its story could be a powerful new avenue telling another story of how the follies of the greedy Weyland-Yutani Corporation continue to push the species towards a brutal extinction.
However, with the casting of leads like Rosaline’s Isabela Merced and Mare of Easttown’s Cailee Spaeny, some may think that another PG-13 entry is on its way into the series. The last time that happened was with 2004’s Alien vs. Predator, and that was met with much scorn and criticism. It should also be noted that this is mere speculation and probably not likely to happen for two reasons.
The first is that Fede Alvarez has made thrillers with “young people,” and they were brutal R-rated squirm fests that, in the case of Don’t Breathe, may have gone too far with its twist. Second, with Ridley Scott acting as a producer on this project, it’s even more unlikely that we’re going to get the Twilight version of Alien, as he wouldn't want to sacrifice the franchise's integrity.
As of this announcement, here's the cast of actors slated to star in this untitled Alien movie, as well as their notable credits:
Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown)
David Jonsson (Industry)
Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone)
Isabela Merced (Rosaline)
Spike Fearn (The Batman)
Aileen Wu (Away from Home)
Speaking of Alien vs. Predator, the mere mention of that movie leads to another interesting note to make in this announcement’s text. As Alvarez’s untitled Alien movie is credited as the “ninth entry” in the series, and there are only seven movies in universe built by Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, it looks like both AvP movies are still counted as canon. Cue the “interesting decision” alarm yet again.
There’s still no title for this new Alien entry, though some sources online have reported the film as being named Alien: Romulus. That stems from an entry on Production List, which previously reported a February 2023 production start. So the validity of that title is still a bit iffy, but worth mentioning because of its appearance in other reporting.
Other than what we’ve discussed above, there are no details as to when we should expect this ninth Alien film to arrive. It’s also interesting to note that while initial reports had this project pegged as a Hulu exclusive debut, that’s not mentioned anywhere in this press release.
Details may be sparse for now, but if we were to put money on when to expect the next updates, April 26th would be the day to highlight. That’s when the annual Alien Day festivities take place, and it’d be far enough into filming that some quick teasers, or even a title reveal, could be on the menu.
