There are only seven days left until Fede Alvarez’s long-awaited sequel, Alien: Romulus, will have us screaming in space once again.
The film takes place in an abandoned space slaughterhouse that’s home to extraterrestrial biomechanical beasts known as Xenomorphs, and with just a week to go until its release, two new teasers are whetting excitement for the seventh installment in the storied sci-fi horror series.
The first recently released teaser, “10 Days,” titillates audiences’ senses with eerie sound effects that echo Ridley Scott’s original “Alien,” before revealing disturbing images of adult warrior aliens running down hallways, screaming, sweating, facehugger rampages, chestburster discharges, and an overall sense of terrifying mayhem, all courtesy of director J. Alan Scott and the award-winning Legacy Effects team. “Once you get a grip, you never let go.”
It’s important to note Mexican cinematographer Galo Olivares’ atmospheric imagery, which mimics the brilliant work previously accomplished by Alien cinematographer Derek Van Lint and Alien 2 cinematographer Adrian Biddle. And it’s entirely appropriate, as the film serves to connect the timelines of these two classics. Anyone who saw Olivares’ impressive camera wizardry in the 2020 dark fantasy film Gretel & Hansel is already familiar with this talented filmmaker’s extraordinary eye.
In case you’re new to Earth or have been intentionally isolating yourself from all relevant pop culture media, here’s the official synopsis for “Romulus.”
“Alien: Romulus returns the phenomenally successful Alien series to its roots. While exploring the depths of an abandoned space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the universe’s most terrifying lifeform.
“The film stars Cailee Spaeny (Civil War), David Johnson (Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy), Archie Renaud (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Spike Fern (Aftersun) and Eileen Wu. Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe) will direct from a script he co-wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (Don’t Breathe 2), based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.”
The second video is a short clip of Isabella Merced’s Kay in a wet, murky hallway, reminiscent of the scene in Alien where Newt is abducted by an underwater creature. In this rain-soaked scene, Kay is tormented by the xenomorph stomping from above. The breathing and groans heard during this tense scene will soon be replicated in cinemas around the world.
Alien: Romulus will be released in theaters and IMAX on August 16, 2024.
