Alien: Romulus is a sci-fi horror film directed by Fede Álvarez (co-written with Rodo Sayagues), released in 2024. It’s part of the Alien franchise, specifically an interquel (a story placed between two existing works) set between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986).
Detailed Summary
Setup: Life Under Weyland-Yutani & the Heist Plan
Rain and her group are miners under harsh conditions. They make a plan to escape by stealing cryo-pods on the derelict space station Renaissance (which is divided into two sections: Remus and Romulus). They hope to head to a more peaceful planet where they can start over.
Exploration & Discovery
Once aboard the station, they discover cryo-stored facehuggers in the Romulus section. Weyland-Yutani has been experimenting here, especially with a “black goo” / fluid (similar to Prometheus) that can alter DNA.
Pregnancy & Infection Risk
Kay (already pregnant) becomes a pivotal character. She is injured and later injects herself with the serum (“Z-01 fluid” or analogous) trying to save the pregnancy, but that triggers major consequences.
The Hybrid Twist
The serum accelerates growth and changes DNA; Kay gives birth to a hybrid: part human, part xenomorph/human mix. This creature (called “The Offspring”) grows rapidly, feeds on Kay, and becomes a major threat.
Climax: Confrontation & Sacrifice
Rain must confront The Offspring. She dons a spacesuit, uses the ship’s cargo hold, opening it to vacuum the hybrid into space (or eject it into an asteroid field) to stop it. Meanwhile, Andy’s loyalties and systems are tested, with tension regarding Weyland-Yutani’s plan.
Movie Ending
- After Kay gives birth to the hybrid (“The Offspring”), the creature kills her. Rain fights it, ultimately jettisoning it into space via the cargo hold. There’s a last-second jumpscare moment implying it’s not fully destroyed—its body or head reappears toward camera before presumably being lost in space.
- Rain puts Andy into a cryo-chamber (stasis pod), with intention to “fix him,” suggesting he’s been compromised (physically, mentally, or via programming by Weyland-Yutani). She sets the ship on course for Yvaga III, a planet believed to be relatively safe.
- The film ends with Rain’s ship log / narration: she’s unsure if they will make it to Yvaga III, but she is hopeful. It’s an uncertain, bittersweet ending: many died, the corporation’s malice looms, the hybrid threat seemed beaten (for now), but trauma remains.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No. The film does not have any post-credits, mid-credits, or additional end-of-credit scene. Once the credits begin, everything is concluded.
Type of Movie
Alien: Romulus is a science fiction horror film (space horror / body horror) set between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). It functions as an interquel, exploring Weyland-Yutani’s experiments, xenomorph lore, and synthetic humans.
Cast
- Cailee Spaeny – Rain Carradine
- David Jonsson – Andy, a synthetic
- Isabela Merced – Kay Harrison
- Archie Renaux – Tyler Harrison
- Spike Fearn – Bjorn
- Aileen Wu – Navarro
- Daniel Betts – Rook
Film Music and Composer
- Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch
- The score aims to blend horror, tension, and a sense of dread while referencing earlier Alien films in tone. It also contains cues that feel nods to earlier soundtracks in the franchise.
Filming Locations
- Filming took place around Budapest, from March to July 2023.
- Some notable locations include an actual working power plant for the mining colony “Jackson’s Star.” Sets like the “Renaissance station” are split into two sections:
- Remus — more advanced tech-look, closer to Aliens style.
- Romulus — more decayed, atmospheric, claustrophobic, paying homage to the original Alien designs and environments.
- Emphasis on practical effects and physical sets; CGI used to augment where necessary (for example, big creatures, or actions impractical for physical puppets).
Awards and Nominations
- It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
- It also earned praise (and industry nominations) in technical categories—visual effects in particular.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- The production emphasized seeing more practical effects and physical sets rather than leaning entirely on CGI. This was to recapture the visceral horror and tactile atmosphere of early Alien films.
- They used a working power plant for the mining colony scenes, which adds authenticity.
- For the character “Rook,” an android, the film uses the likeness of Ian Holm (who played Ash in 1979) via archival material and AI-assisted voice / modeling, plus physical animatronic elements. This was controversial among fans for how it resurrected a past actor’s image.
- The sets for the Romulus section are designed to feel decayed, claustrophobic, while Remus is more advanced; design inspirations include original concept art from the first Alien and industrial machinery elements.
Inspirations and References
- The movie references the black goo / serum from Prometheus as part of the lore. It tries to tie in Prometheus’s biotech / Engineer mythology.
- The design of the “Offspring” hybrid draws visual comparison to the Engineers (from Prometheus) mixed with classic xenomorph traits.
- Many aesthetic and functional nods to earlier Alien films: use of Facehuggers, the structure of the station, the Weyland-Yutani corporate bad deeds, as well as Ripley-style survival moments.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
- No official alternate ending is known publicly. Deleted scenes exist (see hallway crossing etc.), but not a completely different ending.
- Some fan speculation: longer third act scenes, more interaction with hybrid’s birth, possibly extended sequences for Kay.
Book Adaptations and Differences
It’s not based directly on a novel or book; it uses the existing Alien mythos (comics, films) but is not a novel adaptation. So differences are more between this and previous films.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The moment Kay gives birth to the hybrid creature. It’s gruesome, emotional, horrifying.
- The confrontation in the cargo hold / opening it to space to eject The Offspring. Very intense and visually striking.
- The revelation of Weyland-Yutani’s experiments on alien DNA and the black goo, tying the plot back to Prometheus lore.
- The final scene: Rain placing Andy in cryosleep, setting course for Yvaga III, with her narration—quiet, somber, hopeful.
Iconic Quotes
- Andy (or another character) saying “Get away from her, you bitch!” — a clear homage to Aliens (this line has appeared in discussions of callbacks).
- Rain’s final ship log / statement about heading toward Yvaga III, unsure if they’ll make it but holding hope. (This line underscores the emotional stakes.)
Trivia
- The film’s budget was about $80 million, and it made about $350.9 million globally.
- It’s the seventh film in the Alien franchise but focuses on a younger cast than many previous entries; Álvarez has said having younger characters heightens the emotional impact when they face danger.
- The likeness of actor Ian Holm is used for the android Rook via AI / archival material, which stirred both praise and controversy.
- Use of animatronics and practical effects especially in creature design and the birth scene.
Why Watch?
It’s one of the better recent Alien films in terms of returning to “roots” (horror + corpses + claustrophobic stations) while adding modern ideas (the hybrid, the ethical questions around synthetic humans, accelerated evolution).
Director’s Other Movies
- Don’t Breathe (2016)
- Don’t Breathe 2 (2021)
- The Evil Dead (2013)
