Studios are taking less and less risks with their IP, and that was apparent when Hulu decided to release their Predator prequel Prey straight to streaming.
Now it looks like they’ve learned their lesson with another sci-fi slasher franchise, Alien, which is going to be coming to theatres this year with Alien: Romulus. As it turns out, the movie was original supposed to go straight to streaming as well, but the studio heads changed their minds. Talking to THR, director Fede Alvarez shared, “Right when we started shooting it, the studio was like, ‘Fuck it, we’re going into theaters with this.’”
We don’t know exactly what changed the studio’s mind, but just after watching the trailer, you can definitely feel the return to form of the franchise with a bunch of people being stuck inside a ship having to take on Xenomorphs. Watch this:
We don’t know exactly how the story will specifically be different, but Alvarez also shares that there will be some connections with the last movie, Alien: Covenant. “I love all of those movies. I didn’t want to omit or ignore any of them when it comes to connections at a story level, character level, technology level and creature level,” says Alvarez, “There’s always connections from Alien to Alien: Covenant.”
Personally, I’m just hoping they find a way to bring back Michael Fassbender’s David because he’s been one of the more memorable villains of the franchise besides the Xenomorphs.
Here’s the official description for Romulus:
The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Alien: Romulus is set to come out in theaters on Aug. 16.
