Director Fede Álvarez is set to unleash his new take on a classic franchise by way of Alien: Romulus this August, but before the film makes its theatrical debut, star Isabela Merced is teasing that the movie will feature some intensely horrific scenes. Taking place 20 years after the events depicted in 1979’s Alien, Merced stars in Romulus alongside Civil War’s Cailee Spaeny as part of a group of colonists scavenging a derelict space station that stumble upon the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Speaking with Total Film (via GamesRadar) ahead of the release of Alien: Romulus on August 16, 2024, Merced teased that anyone who sneaks into the R-rated sci-fi horror movie could be in for a lifetime of nightmares thanks to some sequences that pull no punches.
“I really do believe that there are specific sequences in this film that will scar some kids that sneak into the movie for life.”
Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus 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.
- Release Date
- August 16, 2024
This comes as no surprise as Álvarez’s 2013 Evil Dead featured some of the most intense and bloody scenes in the long-running franchise, which he followed up with the equally disturbing Don’t Breathe in 2016. For co-star Cailee Spaeny, she says it’s all part and parcel with who Álvarez is as a director, and that audiences should come to expect nothing less from the 46-year-old Uruguayan filmmaker.
“He doesn’t know how to not put that spin on it. That is just his instinct. He’s waiting to do something strange and twisted. And you know he’s got it when you’re right on the edge of going, ‘Should we do this?’ That’s when you know, ‘OK, Fede is in his sweet spot.'”
Alien: Romulus Will Explore a Centuries-Old Myth
While it’s easy to peg Alien: Romulus as just another sci-fi horror movie with a lot of hype around it – heck, Álvarez himself has called it unlike anything in the history of humanity – the film will look to dive deep into Roman mythology to explore the themes that are at its core. More specifically, the story of Romulus and Remus which takes place before Rome was first founded in 750 BC.
Speaking with the same outlet earlier this year, Álvarez spoke about the myth and its connection to his new film, which he says is about “siblinghood.” He would also take fans deep into Alien lore, speaking about the connection the Weyland-Yutani corporation has to Roman mythology.
“It’s based on the Romulus and Remus myth. If people aren’t familiar, it’s the creation myth of Rome. Romulus killed Remus. It’s not a siblinghood that went down the right path. [Alien: Romulus] is a film about siblinghood. A lot of the character stories are related to siblinghood.
“As you may know, Weyland-Yutani, which is the big company in the
Alien
movies, has this obsession with Rome and Imperialist iconography. You really have to go deep into the canon, but a lot of the planets, and a lot of names come out of the early Roman Empire, either from rivers or cities.”
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Alien: Romulus Director and Stars Tease Plot Details in New BTS Clip
Alien: Romulus’ Fede Álvarez, Cailee Spaeny, and David Jonsson reveal film details in new BTS clip.
Those are some pretty heady themes to explore, but if anyone can pull it off it’s certainly Álvarez, who flawlessly pulled off the themes of addiction and sacrifice in Evil Dead, leading to him being one of the most sought after filmmakers of this generation.
Alien: Romulus
hits theaters on August 16, 2024, and you can check out the intense trailer below.