In 1979, filmmaker Ridley Scott unleashed “Alien” onto the world. It spawned seven mainline films and two “Alien vs. Predator” spin-offs. For the latest installment, “Alien: Romulus,” Fede Álvarez sits in the director’s chair. With the new film’s release date just on the horizon, Álvarez shared a note Scott sent to him on the first day of filming.
The franchise creator’s instructions to the newcomer were straight to the point. “Dear Fede,” the black boldface type on white cardstock reads. “Good luck. Good health. Good hunting. Don’t fuck up. Very best wishes, Ridley Scott.”
Scott’s Input For Álvarez
“Romulus” will be the first entry into the franchise since Scott’s 2017 “Alien: Covenant.” “Covenant” failed to perform at the box office, leading him to let someone else take the reigns.
“The danger of all franchises is they do die unless somebody suddenly decides to pick up the mat and run down the field with a ball,” Scott told the Los Angeles Times in August. “Fede is a surge of energy, and I had to step back and let him do it … Fede had a blueprint firm in his mind, and his script was pretty clear. It was also long, but the screenplay is always long. And so we got into that a little bit.”
While Scott is an executive producer for “Romulus” he kept his distance with creative input. “It is hard work with anybody and their mother giving you advice — the last thing you want at a certain point is advice,” he explained. “I do not need advice. If I fall on my own sword and therefore lie bleeding, I say, ‘It was my fault.’ I hope Fede’s got another one up his sleeve because I think this is going to do really well.”
In terms of timeline, “Romulus” will take place between the events of “Alien” and “Aliens.” It centers around two young adults (Cailee Spaeny and Isabela Merced) trying to escape their home planet.
“Alien: Romulus” hits theaters nationwide on August 16th.
