Alien: Romulus Director Denies Ripley’s Return in Sequel

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For quite some time now, speculation about the storyline of the 2023’s follow-up to the Alien series titled “Romulus” has been rife, ever since it was disclosed that a new film was in the works around last year. However, a recent report circulating on the fan site Alien vs. Predator Galaxy has been refuted by the director of “Romulus,” Fede Álvarez. The contested claim suggested discussions with franchise icon Sigourney Weaver, who appeared in the initial four Alien movies, about reprising her role as Ellen Ripley for the upcoming installment.

Álvarez directly addressed the AvP fan site on platform X, clarifying that the rumor was just “entertaining speculation, but entirely unfounded.” This swiftly put to rest any theories or conjectures suggesting a return of the famous character from the initial nine Alien films. The film Romulus, which unfolds between the incidents of the first Alien and Aliens, operates independently from the broader movie series, as it focuses on characters who matured on a Weyland-Yutani corporation mining planet.

In the new Alien movie from 2023, there are many nods to the original Alien film and Ridley Scott’s prequels Prometheus and Covenant. However, it doesn’t seem like the story directly ties into Ripley, with the exception of the android Ash, who resembles Ian Holm’s character in the movie Romulus. The 2023 film did not hint at a sequel bringing back any previous Alien characters beyond subtle Easter eggs and references to the overall lore.

‘Alien Romulus’ Works Thanks to Its Detachment From Previous Franchise Stars

Fede Álvarez previously stated that the idea for the younger characters in “Alien: Romulus” originated from a deleted scene in James Cameron’s movie “Aliens,” where children were seen playing on a space station. To do something fresh and unconventional, he decided to develop “Romulus.” Given his recent comments about exploring new territory for the “Romulus” sequel, it seems unlikely that Ellen Ripley would be involved in the film at all.

In the finale of “Romulus”, the lone survivor, Rain (played by Cailee Spaeny), chooses to go into suspended animation with the hope of reaching Yvaga III safely. If there’s any clue about where the next installment might lead, it will likely pick up from her voyage to that planet, all while integrating Xenomorphs. The movie serves as a fresh start for a new trilogy, potentially delving into terrifying unknown horrors in space. It is also possible that if “Romulus” doesn’t skip significant time gaps compared to the previous film, Ripley should theoretically remain in suspended animation and thus not appear in the upcoming sequel.

Regardless of the false claims being swiftly debunked, it’s intriguing to ponder the prospective direction of the Alien franchise. This sci-fi horror saga has faced some tough times recently, but things are looking optimistic now, with a Romulus sequel and Noah Hawley’s television project Alien: Earth on the horizon. The Alien series had an unforgettable run with Ellen Ripley, but it’s now time to focus on what lies ahead, with Cailee Spaeny as Rain seemingly leading the charge for whatever is next in store.

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2025-01-24 02:04