Fede Álvarez, the director behind one of the year’s best horror films, Alien: Romulus, has taken to social media to show moviegoers how the film’s terrifying final monster was brought to life. The latest installment in the Alien franchise continues to give movie fans something to talk about weeks after its release, and part of the reason why, and how it has become a celebrated entry in the beloved franchise, is that Álvarez expertly blended state-of-the-art visual effects with practical resources. Something which he demonstrates once again in this new behind the scenes clip.
Sharing a behind-the-scenes video on his X/Twitter account, Álvarez reveals who the actor was behind the monster that our hero Rain must face in the third act. The post reads: “The incredibly talented Robert Bobroczkyi getting ready to chase after Cailee Spaeny in #alienromulus @LegacyEffects #bts.” Bobroczkyi is a Romanian former basketball player whose incredible height (2.31 m, 7 ft 7 in) landed him a role in the film where he plays the creature now known as “The Offspring.” Álvarez also credits Legacy Effects, who have been in charge of creating animatronic effects for the MCU, Pacific Rim, and Avatar, among others. You can check out the clip below:
Clearly, the Offspring isn’t a Xenomorph, with the creature emerging as one of the film’s riskiest elements. When survivor Kay, who is pregnant, injects herself with a mysterious compound believing it will help her heal her wounds, her baby is affected. With terrifying results. Her pregnancy rapidly increases, and she delivers what becomes this giant Xenomorph-meets-human-meets-Engineer creature that will fight Rain as she tries to make it out alive. Based on the behind the scenes clip, the Offspring was just as horrifying on set as it was in the film.
Alien: Romulus is a Solid Return to the Franchise’s Roots
In Alien: Romulus, space colonists are trying to escape the planet they’re stationed on. They’re dispensable manpower for Weyland-Yutani, the corporation that rules space exploration. However, Rain and her adoptive android brother, Andy, are offered the opportunity to leave for a better place: planet Yvaga, which they can reach on cryostasis pods that were left abandoned in a spacecraft. As they arrive at the abandoned ship, they soon realize there’s a reason why the ship was abandoned.
Directed by Fede Álvarez from a script he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues, the film stars a young cast consisting of Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Spike Fearn, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, and Robert Bobroczkyi, among others. It’s the ninth film of the Alien franchise (yes, we’re counting the Alien vs. Predator films), and takes place between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), hence the tangible look-and-feel of the film’s production design. It is now one of the highest-rated Alien movies on Rotten Tomatoes, with a score of 80%, falling below the first two films that are considered sci-fi cinematic classics.
Alien: Romulus
is playing exclusively in theaters.