I'm Excited For Alien: Romulus, But I'm Still Waiting For A Sequel To Divisive $240 Million Movie

Summary Alien: Romulus offers a fresh take on the iconic franchise by blending elements of classic horror with a cast of teenage characters.

The film bridges Alien and Aliens, adding to the growing timeline of the franchise and potentially complicating Ridley Scott's prequel trilogy, which has gone unfinished.

Ridley Scott's planned Alien: Covenant sequel faces uncertainty as Alien: Romulus takes the spotlight, but franchise fans are still hopeful for a resolution to the prequel films.

While I'm excited about director and co-writer Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus, I can't help but think about the unmade sequel to a divisive entry in the storied sci-fi horror franchise. The seventh installment in the Alien movie series, Alien: Romulus promises to be a pretty fresh take on the well-worn genre. What excites me most is the way it seems to blend elements from Ridley Scott's 1979 classic with slasher films — a mix made possible, in part, by Alien: Romulus' cast of mostly teenage characters. A standalone interquel, Alien: Romulus bridges Alien and 1986's Aliens.

The movie centers on a group of space colonists who are led by Rain Carradine (Civil War's Cailee Spaeny). While scavenging a seemingly derelict space station, the crew stumbles upon space's most terrifying life form: the Alien franchise's iconic Xenomorph. I'm not sure how Alien: Romulus will impact the series' lore, but its very existence — another canonical entry in the ever-growing series — definitely complicates Scott's unfinished Alien prequel trilogy, which began in 2012 with the ambitious-yet-flawed Prometheus. Another Alien prequel seems less likely now, but I can't be the only one waiting for some resolution.

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Alien: Romulus Happened Before Ridley Scott's Planned Alien: Covenant Sequel

Romulus Complicates The Alien Franchise's Timeline

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With the arrival of Romulus, the complete Alien timeline continues to grow — and I couldn't be more thrilled to see the iconic franchise reappear in today's cinematic landscape. At the same time, the fact that Alien: Romulus has come to fruition before a third prequel movie seems like a bad sign for Ridley Scott's planned pre-Alien trilogy. While the original Alien introduced audiences to Sigourney Weaver's action hero Ellen Ripley, Prometheus, co-written by Jon Spaihts (Dune) and Damon Lindelof (The Leftovers), centers on Noomi Rapace's god-fearing archaeologist, Elizabeth Shaw, and Michael Fassbender's android, David.

...I can understand why Alien: Romulus got the green light before an Alien: Covenant sequel.

While I wouldn't count Shaw or David among Ripley-level movie characters, I admire the 2012 film's ambition — its big ideas, impressive scope, and more cerebral approach. Prometheus follows the crew of the titular spaceship as they follow a star map along a course that, allegedly, will help them understand the origins of humanity. Its sequel, 2017's Alien: Covenant, centers on David once again. However, to my frustration, Covenant can't seem to balance the cerebral Prometheus threads with Alien's deep-space horror beats. That said, I can understand why Romulus got the green light before an Alien: Covenant sequel.

Related Which Movies You Should Watch Before Alien: Romulus (& Which You Can Skip) Alien: Romulus is the ninth installment in the franchise, but its place in the timeline means that not every other movie has to be watched beforehand.

What's Going On With Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant Sequel

Ridley Scott’s Canceled Covenant Sequel, Explained

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Back in September 2015, Scott mentioned that he had at least two Prometheus sequels in mind — and maybe even a fourth prequel — that would lead directly into the events of his original Alien movie. In fact, it was reported that the screenplay for Alien: Covenant's sequel had been finished in 2017. With mixed reviews and a disappointing box office, Alien: Covenant's numbers pushed 20th Century Fox to delay the third prequel film's production, which had been slated for 2018. Keeping my hope alive, Scott has continued to talk about his plans for an AI-focused Alien: Covenant 2.

Given Disney's love of milking nostalgic IP for all it's worth, this move is somewhat surprising.

All of this said, I think things took a real turn for the worst when Disney acquired 21st Century Fox. While the acquisition prompted rumors of a Scott-helmed prequel to start up again, nothing ever came of it. When Alien: Romulus was officially announced, it felt to me like Disney was quietly putting Ridley Scott's Alien prequel trilogy out to pasture. Given Disney's love of milking nostalgic IP for all it's worth, this move is somewhat surprising. Of course, I think it's possible Alien: Romulus' performance could revive what, for now, seems to be Ridley Scott’s canceled Covenant sequel.

Related Predicting Who Lives In Alien: Romulus After So Many Character Death Teases The trailers for Alien: Romulus have already hinted at several potential deaths, and these characters may be next on the chopping block.

I'll Be Disappointed If The Alien Franchise Never Finishes Ridley Scott's Prequel Trilogy

The Alien Franchise Could Still Find A Way To Conclude The Prometheus & Covenant Stories

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Watching the Alien movies in order won't quite hit if Ridley Scott never finishes his planned prequel trilogy. David's actions in Alien: Covenant's ending leave the prequel duology on a decidedly unresolved note. For the most part, the Alien films can be watched as standalone entries, but I enjoy the connective tissue and world-building that each movie brings to the table. For now, I'm holding out hope that Alien: Romulus reinvigorates the franchise enough to push the planned Alien: Covenant sequel through. Plus, Ridley Scott's upcoming blockbuster Gladiator 2 might be enough to convince studio execs of his box office draw.

Alien: Romulus debuts in theaters on August 16, 2024; Alien: Covenant is streaming on Hulu.