MOVIE NEWS – Last summer, Alien: Romulus brought the sci-fi horror genre’s greatest franchise back to life, unleashing a new Xenomorph nightmare on cinema screens. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film is set between the events of Alien and Aliens, boldly playing with the series’ established lore, referencing everything from Prometheus to Alien: Resurrection, while paying tribute to the classics by Ridley Scott and James Cameron.

However, not all callbacks were without controversy. A major surprise was the appearance of the android Rook, whose likeness was modeled after the late Ian Holm (with his estate’s approval), who had famously portrayed Ash in Scott’s Alien. The result, though, felt somewhat uncanny to viewers, sparking mixed reactions. Even Alvarez admitted some dissatisfaction. “We ran out of time during post-production,” he explained in an interview with Empire. “I wasn’t fully satisfied with some shots where the CGI intervention was more noticeable. For those who reacted negatively, I completely understand.”

To address these concerns, Alvarez ensured the home release of Romulus would include a refined version of Rook. “We fixed it,” he confirmed. “It’s so much better now. I convinced the studio to invest more resources so the teams involved could finish the job properly. The difference is night and day.” Rook’s creation involved a blend of techniques, necessitating adjustments to both practical and digital elements. “[Animatronic puppeteer] Shane Mahan crafted an animatronic Ian Holm using a head cast from The Lord of the Rings, which was the only one available,” Alvarez explained. “For the home release, we reverted more to the puppet, and it’s significantly better.”

Alien: Romulus will be available on Disney Plus starting January 15.

Source: Empire Online