Ridley Scott Was “Hugely Relieved” When First Watching ‘Alien: Romulus,’ But Gave Notes That Made Fede Álvarez “Punch the Door”

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Ridley Scott Was “Hugely Relieved” When First Watching ‘Alien: Romulus,’ But Gave Notes That Made Fede Álvarez “Punch the Door”

As a seasoned gamer with decades of survival horror under my belt, I can confidently say that Ridley Scott‘s involvement in the Alien franchise has always been a testament to its enduring terror. Seeing him pass the torch to Fede Álvarez for Alien: Romulus, while still offering his insights, is like witnessing the grandmaster teaching his apprentice the dark arts of fear.

Following his direction of the original Alien film in 1979, then revisiting it for Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), Ridley Scott is now handing over the responsibility for Alien: Romulus to Fede Álvarez. However, he will still offer some guidance.

At the Los Angeles premiere of “Romulus” on Monday, Scott, being one of the producers for the project, expressed to The Hollywood Reporter that when Álvarez initially showed him the movie, he felt greatly reassured that it could be a massive film. He then added, “I won’t insist on changes, but I’ll share my thoughts.”

In a private setting, the director chose to jot down his thoughts instead of verbally expressing them to Álvarez. After reading the notes, he would tap the wall, pound the door, before reemerging and affirming that they were good suggestions. Similarly, Scott advised the director to trim the movie’s length, remarking that directors often overextend their productions. He emphasized that brevity was crucial for maintaining the film’s energy, especially given the complexity of this particular project. The dynamic of the movie was vital, and it was already packed with a lot of content; therefore, additional elements were unnecessary.

As an avid admirer, When I, Ridley Scott, first watched Fede Álvarez’s cut of #AlienRomulus, I couldn’t help but share some advice.

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 13, 2024

Scott opted for Álvarez as the franchise’s new lead, highlighting his prior projects such as “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe.” He explained, “It’s not wise to assign this task to a novice director, they’d be overwhelmed by the studio… it’s unimaginable to direct your first movie with everyone giving instructions. It’s like having too many chefs in the kitchen; it’s absurd! You have to insist, ‘Step back.'”

In the movie, Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu are the stars. The plot revolves around a band of young space settlers who encounter the most dreadful creature in existence within the cosmos.

Regarding assuming the franchise role, Álvarez expressed, “Ever since I first saw Alien, it has been the scariest film for me. To have the opportunity to venture into that terrifying universe and breathe new life into it for a new audience, in an authentic and almost documentary-style manner that brings out its horror like never before, is truly what gives me my nightmares.”

Director Fede Álvarez explains how he brings his “biggest nightmares” to screen with #AlienRomulus

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 13, 2024

In addition, he clarified their choice to employ tangible effects rather than digital ones, stating, “Of course, it would be simpler to film a blank space and add CGI creatures later; however, we opted for a different approach. We chose to construct the creatures ourselves — we utilized modern technology while adhering to the spirit of classic films, yet with today’s technology to create something that isn’t typically seen on screen.”

Alien: Romulus hits theaters on Friday.

Tiffany Taylor contributed to this report.

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2024-08-13 19:54