Alien Explorations: Alien: Romulus

a) Fede's new take on an Alien movie

When Fede Alvarez came working on the Alien movie, his first instinct was just to try something different tha hasn't been seen before. He decided to approach it from an the angle of charactrs who are not professionals or scientists. They're not even adults.

He likd putting people in front seat of the story who are closer to what the audience is. Not that the audience is young, but more that the audience is completely virgin to the realities of space.

He decided that when character are professionals, they know more than the audience do. But when they're still in their early 20s, they don't even know how to operate the airlock. So the characters are very blue collar, like the best versions of these movies, but they’re way younger than before

Fede remembered watching the extended cut of Aliens, where the viewer can see a bunch of children running around the corridors of one of the colonies.

His response was near enough "wow, what it would it be like for those kids when they turned 20? Growing up in a place with no future? Would they want to stay there and do what their parents did, or leave that place?"

He always thought, "Wow, what would it be like for those kids to grow up in a terraforming colony that still needs another 50 years to be habitable? You’re probably going to take the same job as your parents. What’s the hope?"

He ondered what they wanted out of life and if they wanted to stay there and do what their parents did, working in the mines or the farms, and that's it, Or perhaps they wanted more ou of life. He compared that to a reality that most people in his world would face that grow up in a small town or small country. That was the spirit in which he approached the characters and their story. Of course he himself was from Uruguay and so he grew up with the idea of growing up in a place where you know how far you can get, the things that happen there, and the things that will never happen there.

He thought that all of their parents most likely worked on the same ship when they were young , and that's how they got to know each other

There would be a lot of history between them because they're the only family they have

They truly act like surrogate siblings, with some of them even having lived under the same roof.

Fede Alvarez: My first instinct, just to try something different that hasn't been seen before, was to approach it from the angle of characters who are not professionals or scientists; they're not even adults. I liked this concept of putting people in the front seat of the story who are closer to what the audience is — not that the audience is young, more that the audience is completely virgin to the realities of space. When the characters are professionals, they know more than you do. But when they’re still in their early 20s, they don’t know how to operate the f---ing airlock. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-star-cailee-spaeny-tease-new-xenomorph-8642159)
Fede Alvarez: All their parents probably worked on the same ship when they were kids, and that’s how they got to know each other. There’s a lot of history between them because they're the only family they have. They truly act more like surrogate siblings; some of them even lived under the same roof. A lot of the big themes of the movie are about siblinghood and what does that mean? The Romulus of it all, and the bigger plot with Weyland-Yutani, is actually connected to that as well. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-star-cailee-spaeny-tease-new-xenomorph-8642159)
Fede Alvarez: The characters are very blue collar, like the best versions of these movies, but they’re way younger than before, I remember watching the extended cut of Aliens, where you can see a bunch of kids running around the corridors of one of the colonies and go, ‘wow, what it would it be like for those kids when they turned 20? Growing up in a place with no future? Would they want to stay there and do what their parents did, or leave that place?’ That’s a reality that most people in our world face who grow up in a small town or a small country. That was the spirit in which we approached these characters and their story. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-breaks-down-new-trailer-8611454)
Fede Alvarez: All the characters are very young. That was inspired by the beginning of the extended cut Aliens. There’s a shot that really inspired the whole story, where you can see all the kids running around the corridor on Hadley’s Hope. I always thought, "Wow, what would it be like for those kids to grow up in a terraforming colony that still needs another 50 years to be habitable? You’re probably going to take the same job as your parents. What’s the hope?"
I thought: "Wouldn’t it be great to catch up with those characters?" Not exactly those characters, but that type of young kid, growing up in a Weyland-Yutani shake-and-bake colony, and see how their life would be when they reach their early 20s. What do they want out of life? Do they want to stay there, and do what their parents did – work the mines, work the farms – and that’s it? Or do they want more out of life?
That was what kickstarted the whole journey of this character. It was something I was always fascinated with. Maybe it’s because I’m from Uruguay and the idea of growing up in a place where you know how far you can get, and the things that happen there, and the things that will never happen there. So at the time, I always connected with those characters. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)

b) The myth of Romulus and Remus

So a lot of the big themes of the movie would be about siblinghood, and so what would that mean.

The title Romulus came from the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus, the two brothers that founded Rome.

Romulus killed Remus, and so it was a siblinghood that did not go down the righ path

Here a lot of the character stories are related to siblinghood

As it went in Fede's ideas, Weyland-Yutani, which is the big company name in the Alien movie, and it seemed to him to have an obsession with Rome and Imperialist iconography.

So if Fede's point of view was you would really have to go deep into something that he labeled as canon.

In his mind, a lot of planets so he noticed and a lot of the names came out of the early Roman Empire, either from rivers or cities. (Was he talking about Extended Universe in comic books and novels? We find the name of the moon referred to in Cameron's Aliens script as Acheron, and given in Alan Dean Foster's novelisation for Alien and that's Greek mythos?)

But the space station where most of the story took place was called Renaissance Station, and it was made of two big modules that were connected. One was called Romulus and the other Remus. The she-wolf that raised them would give them their special strength to build Rome.

Here Fede would present the scenario that company Weyland-Yutani are obsessed with the alien life form. One of his favourite parts of the movie was the mystery of 'What’s beyond being chased by a creature?'

So Renaisance staton is or used to be a research station, and the viewer wouldn't see it being operating in its prime, but there's some experimentation going on in the station.

Fede wanted to pount out that there were many kinds of Alien fans out there and he loved the aspects of these movies. He loved the mystery of what the company is trying to do and things that have to do with the creature that went beyond just running around and trying not to do. So he looked at the possibility that for people who like that, like himself even, they will definitely find a good story.

Gamesradar: Is the meaning behind the name Romulus explored in the film?
Fede Alvarez: It is, absolutely. 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.
And there’s a station where most of the story takes place. It’s called the Renaissance Station, and it’s made of two big models that are connected. One is Remus, the other one is Romulus. And that’s as much as I can tell you… (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)
Gamesradar: The trailer features a brief shot of a door that has the words "Romulus Lab", a Weyland-Yutani logo, and a wolf on the front. Is that a further connection to the Romulus myth, and a hint that some kind of experimentation has been taking place aboard the Renaissance?
Fede Alvarez: Yes, that’s the Romulus and Remus creation myth, where the she-wolf gave them their special strength to build Rome. Weyland-Yutani, the company, they’re obsessed with [xenomorphs]. It’s one of my favorite parts of the movie, the mystery of 'What’s beyond being chased by a creature?'
It is a research station. That’s what the Renaissance Station is, or used to be. If you want a spoiler, you won’t see [the Renaissance operating] in its prime. But, yes, there’s some experimentation going on in the station.
Really, the movie is a survival horror, just like the first one. At the core of it, that’s what the movie is. It’s my favorite kind of horror when all you have to do is survive it.
But there are many kinds of Alien fans out there, and I love a lot of the aspects of these movies. I love the mystery of what the company is trying to do, things that have to do with the creature, things that go beyond just running around, and trying to not die. So for people who like that, like me, they will definitely find a good story. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)
Fede Alvarez: Most of the story takes place in a space station which I call the Rennaissance space station and it's made from two modules. One is older than the other one. One is called Remus which is more from the world of Alien, which is older, the technology is more advanced than that visually about Alien, it's called Alien, it's called Romulus which is... is... is brand new .......... the place by the time is battered but the technology is way more recent, so it looks more like the stuff you encounter in Aliens. So almost like the story in a way, you know, gave me the chance to be of those two worlds, you know, inside the same...
Daniel: Very cool, that's what we want to ask you because Romulus is such an interesting name, it's an interesting subtitle for an Alien film. I just wanted to ask you more about your insight about what that means in this film
Fede Alvarez: Well you know, it's always based..... go back you know, the Weyland-Yutani of it all and Aliens really deep canon, there are always a lot of references to... to early Roman Empire effects, like rivers and cities. So the, so the creation myth of Rome which is Romulus and Remus, is that two kids that feed from a she-wolf, you know the way they get their powers that make them who they were... is very related to the story in a way, to steal the powers from a... from a... aggressive creature. Then there's also the stories about siblinghood, there's a lot of the characters .. they are.. there are a lot of pairs in the movie of siblings, either related by blood, related because you know surrogate siblings like grew up together and love each other so... and it's really.. on a character level a lot of the themes have to do... you know, with what it means to be truly be... be siblings.. right... with brothers... with brothers and sisters
Daniel: Very interesting, it makes me curious now again...
Fede Alvarez: Romulus kills Remus by the way... now now the myth, it didn't go well with those two (The Movie Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2PYIrvnX8I)

c) Returning to design roots

Fede wanted to go back to the roots, to the era of the first film, and so that would indicate much of the design right away.

He decided that the company made a certain type of hallway, a certain type of monitor, and a certain type of engine. So, if you lived in this univers, you would re-encounter a lof ot these design

Production desiger Naaman Marshall and Fede took a lot of care to make sure that they were very faithful to the style of the first film. It might have taken place a few years later, but in the world of Alien, that would not have been too much later really. Technology in the world of Alien could change vastly. It was not dependant on time, it was dependant on the place where you were.

Here the technology was still very low tech and analog.

As a child of the 80s, any monitor with some VHS tracking ussues put a lot of joy in Fede's heart

Fede Alvarez: I knew that I wanted to go back to the roots, to the era of the first film, and so that indicates much of the design right away. This company makes a certain type of hallway, a certain type of monitor, a certain type of engine, and if you live in this universe, you'll re-encounter a lot of these designs. So production designer Naaman Marshall and I took a lot of care to make sure we were super faithful to the style of the first film. This takes place a few years later, but in the world of Alien, that's not too much later, really. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-breaks-down-new-trailer-8611454)
Gamesradar: The first thing anyone watching the new trailer will be struck by is how your film’s retro-futuristic production design recalls the Nostromo. Is it your hope that Romulus will feel of a piece with Ridley Scott’s Alien?
Fede Alvarez: It was the era I was most interested in when we were thinking about making this movie and were suddenly faced with so many choices. Where do you start? That’s what I wanted it to be – that era of science-fiction – and particularly that physical space of the first movie. So it starts there, honestly.
And there were narrative reasons why. It takes place 20 years after the first film. Technology in the world of Alien can change vastly, but I think it’s not dependent on time. It’s dependent on place. Where you are.
So the characters of this movie and the world are very blue-collar. The technology is still very low-tech and analog. And, look, I’m a kid from the ‘80s. Any monitor with some VHS tracking issues puts a lot of joy in my heart. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)
Did that commitment extend to the sets as well?
Fede Alvarez: We went out of our way to build our sets. There are no set extensions. Today, usually, you build the minimum amount, and you extend in CG. For me, it’s really about me traveling there physically, and being there. I was in that station which you saw in the trailer. I spent the best part of last year in that place.
You want to show up in the morning, and go, "Wow," and look down the hallways, and it goes as far as you can see in both directions. You can get lost walking inside those sets, which is the way Ridley described the set of the Nostromo. You can walk around the whole thing, and get lost in there, trying to find your way out.
That definitely happened here. We built everything until the last corner. In that respect, it was all old techniques. A lot of the approaches to effects, they were all based on way more old-school approaches to moviemaking.(https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/

d.i) Cailee Spaeny would play the character Rain.

Fede always knew it was going to be her as the star of his film, and so almost wrote the movie for Cailee Spaeny.

Her character would be named Raines, but would be known as Rain and in a way she was the audience

d.ii) Prepping up for the role

Cailee did everything that she could to bring the character to life. She watched Sigourney play Ripley in Alien. She recognised her to be past of the changing of the game that thise films did. But she realised that she could never be her. However she injected whatever she had in herself into that character, and tried to make it three-dimensional – as three-dimensional as possible. So she would hope that her efforts were noticeable and the character comes alive.

d.iii) With an android as a brother

Rain has a brother who is actually a synthetic human. She loves him like a brother, but there are difficulties to be had growing up with a synthetic, and some of the challenges that she faces during the film are related.

Cailee found the relationship dynamic interesting to flip on its head. She found it was really fun to explore having a synthetic human as a family member and the questions it posed. She found David Jonsson, who played the character to be very brilliant and felt that he really nailed the performance

Games Radar: What is her name?
Fede Alvarez: They call her Rain, but her real name, you’ll see in the movie. It’s "Raines" with an "E" and an "S". (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)
Cailee Spaeny: I definitely did everything that I could to bring that character to life. Watching Sigourney play that role – she’s part of the changing of the game that those films did, I could never be her. But I injected whatever I have in me into that character, and tried to make it three-dimensional – as three-dimensional as possible. So I hope that that’s there, and it comes alive. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-cailee-spaeny-proper-horror-sigourney-weaver-ripley/)
Fede Alvarez: I always knew it was going to be her. I almost wrote the movie for her, In a way, she's the audience. That's the big difference it makes when you bring in younger characters in their early 20s. It's not that the audience is that age necessarily, but we are as inexperienced as they are when it comes to dealing with the situation that they're in. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-breaks-down-new-trailer-8611454)
Cailee Spaeny: In this one, Rain's brother is a synthetic, She loves him like her brother, but there are difficulties growing up with a synthetic, and some of the challenges that she faces during the film are related. That relationship dynamic is really interesting to flip on its head; it was really fun to explore having a synthetic as a family member and the questions it poses. David Jonsson, who plays that character, was so brilliant and really nailed that performance. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-star-cailee-spaeny-tease-new-xenomorph-8642159)
Games Radar: There’s a voice that we hear halfway through the trailer saying "Run". Is that David Jonsson’s character, and is he an android? I felt I could detect a tell-tale android inflection in his delivery…
Fede Alvarez: That is correct. That is David Jonsson, yes. If he’s an android or not, you should watch the movie. Can you tell that from the current trailer? I don’t know. But, yeah, he’s very assertive and cold in his delivery…(https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)
Gamesradar: Do you see Raines in the lineage of Ripley – the resourceful, capable everywoman overcoming the odds?
Fede Alvarez: Everything is related and different at the same time. As fans, the thing you always want with these movies is, the same thing again but different. That’s usually how you want to approach these characters
She’s a younger character. . (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)

Archie Renaux as Tyler and Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine in 'Alien: Romulus.'.

e) Precurser to the pulse gun

Cailee Spaeny’s character gets a hero’s entrance in the trailer. Is that a pulse rifle she’s carrying, and is the shot a conscious homage to Ripley stepping out of the cargo elevator on her way to the Queen’s nest in Aliens?
Yes and yes. It is a Pulse Rifle. You have to think that our movie is decades before Aliens. So the Pulse Rifle, as people know it from Aliens, has not been invented yet. We can go really deep into the canon rabbit hole, but the Pulse Rifle was invented a few years before Aliens by this general.
This is a precursor. But it’s technically Pulse technology, what she’s holding. And, yes, of course, the story called for a moment when she was coming out of an elevator. And obviously, you don’t just walk out of an elevator casually in an Alien movie. So when we were about to do it we all knew, "If you walk out of the elevator, it better be an incredible shot." So we took a lot of care, making sure that she stepped out of the elevator in the coolest possible way.(https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)

f) Alien beasts

Like many people, Fede was appalled by bad CGI in movies and so his experience of it had been ruined. But he was not against it, he was all for whaever was best for the shot and whatever technique had to be applied.

They went to extremes in the movie to do things practically. They had WETA workship doing a lot of the Face Huggers. They borough back the men who worked on Aliens, for instance Shane Mahan who sculpted the Alien Queen's head himself, and so was in charg of building all of the alien beasts in th movie

They had them actually built with full animatronics for all of the creatures in the movie. He had a great time just tto see these men that he admired so much back working together.

There were moments when he needed nine puppeteers to make a creature work, and these puppeteers under the table were now men in their 60s.

He would have to join in himself puppeteering these things, and he was so fascinated that they were he puppeteers for the Aliens movie itself.

There were moments though when Fede realised "Oh, if we do something here, we could do something really cool that the puppets never could. " and then they really succeeded.

Gamesradar: One of the first shots we see after establishing the Renaissance is a swarm of Facehuggers bursting through a door. How much are you utilizing CGI versus practical creature effects?
Fede Alvarez: Just like anybody else, I’ve been appalled by bad CG in movies that have ruined my experience of it. But I’m not against it. I think you have to do whatever’s best for the shot, and whatever technique does it better, you should do it.
We went to crazy extents in this movie to do things practically. We had Weta Workshop doing a lot of the Facehuggers. And not only that, we brought back the guys that worked on Aliens. Shane Mahan, who [sculpted] the Queen’s head himself, was the one in charge of building all the Xenomorphs for our movie.
And when I say "build", we built them. We did full animatronics for all the creatures in the movie. It was one of the best experiences in my career, just to see these guys that I admire so much, back [working together].
There were moments when we’d need nine puppeteers to make a creature work, and you had all those guys, now in their 60s, under the table. And I’m there with them because there’s not enough hands. I got to be under the table, puppeteering these things, with the guys that worked on the original Aliens. So that’s been the best part.
And then CG just comes when you really go, "Oh, if we do something here, we could do something really cool that the puppets never could." And you go there. But we really tried… and we really succeeded. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)

The 'Xenomorph' in 'Alien: Romulus'

g.i) Cailee and the alien beast

Cailee had to turn off the part of her mind that she referred to as the Nerding Out brain.

She looked at the alien beast and her response 'Wow, it’s beautiful. Ooh, you put the Giger skull…'

But she thought that it was scary.

She was aware of the fact that the film was set between the first and the second.

In the production they were asking 'How could this be a child of the two?'

So there would be those heightened moments, but then proper horror.

g.ii) Fede keeps the camera rolling for ten minutes

There was a take of a scene where Cailee was with the alien beast, and Fede kept the camera rolling for ten minutes although it seem like half an hour.

For her it was pur terror to be with the alien beast in front of her.

It was as if Fede was throwing in little surprises like that catcing the actors off guard.

Cailee Spaeny: I had to turn off my 'nerding out' brain, because I was just like, 'Wow, it’s beautiful. Ooh, you put the Giger skull…' I had to turn that off. But it was properly scary. We set it between the first movie and the second. We were talking about, 'How could this be a child of the two?' So we have those heightened moments, but then proper horror. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-cailee-spaeny-proper-horror-sigourney-weaver-ripley/)
Cailee Spaeny: I remember we did one specific take of a scene where I'm with the Xenomorph and [director Fede Álvarez] kept it rolling for about…oh God, it felt like half an hour, but it was probably only 10 minutes It was just pure terror for 10 minutes straight, with the Xenomorph right there. Fede was great at throwing in little surprises like that and catching us actors off-guard.(https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-star-cailee-spaeny-tease-new-xenomorph-8642159)

h) Stories in the tents

They would have tents for the actors, to get ready to go on set. The practical effects guys would come in and say something like "Do you want to hear a story from the old days? Gather ‘round, kids,’"

They would tell them about crazy on-set experiences working in this world.as if they were campfire stories for. She found that they were their favorite things to hear.”

Cailee Spaeny: We definitely had moments where all of us kids would be in the tent getting ready to go on set, and the practical effects guys would come in like, ‘Do you want to hear a story from the old days? Gather ‘round, kids,’ .They would tell us about crazy on-set experiences working in this world. They were like campfire stories for us. Those were our favorite things to hear. (https://ew.com/alien-romulus-director-fede-alvarez-star-cailee-spaeny-tease-new-xenomorph-8642159)

i) Film filled with references

Gamesradar: Ridley Scott is a producer on the film and had high praise when you screened it for him. Does Romulus pick up any plot threads from his Alien prequels?
Fede Alvarez: This is the way this movie works: if you haven’t seen any Alien movie ever, you’ll have a great time. You won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. But if you’ve seen one or more – oh, boy, you’ll have a blast. At least, I hope you will! The reality is that it is a standalone story, but it’s filled with references to every movie. It is truly a love letter to all the other movies. I have my favorites, but I love them all. Every time I went to the theatre to watch an Alien movie, I had an experience that would stay with me all my life.
Even the ones where I’m like, "I’m not sure that’s what I wanted" – they still stayed with me. So the movie has connections with absolutely all of them, in their own way. The experts will be able to tell, "Oh, that’s from this. This is from over there." Maybe it’s a piece of gear. Maybe it’s a reference to a story that is connected. Maybe it’s a character that is actually connected to another character from those movies. It’s truly filled with it.
I did this with Evil Dead back in the day. When we made that movie, it was really about making sure that it didn’t matter [if you’d seen previous Evil Dead movies] – but if you knew, you’d feel it was tailor-made for you. So, again, if you haven’t seen any of the Alien movies, you’ll have a great time. (https://www.gamesradar.com/alien-romulus-trailer-breakdown-fede-alvarez-interview/)

j) Warnings tha Ridley could be tough

Everyone gave Alvarez the heads up that Ridley was really tough, particularly if i had something to do with movies. He was very tough on Blade Runner 2049 which Fede thought was a masterpiece.

Fede asked Ridley about the new Top Gun: Maverick movie, and Ridley responded near enough 'eh'

Fede would only respomd "What are you talking about?"

Ridley appeared to respond "My brother's was original, and this is like eh."

It appeared that he really respected it, but Fede could see how tough he was.

So Fede realised 'There's no way I win this one.'"

Fede Alvarez: Everyone gave me the head's up that Ridley is really tough, He's really tough, particularly if it has something to do with his movies. He was really tough on Blade Runner [2049], which I thought was a masterpiece, and he had issues with it because it's really hard for him because [the original is] his work. I asked him about the new Top Gun: [Maverick] and he's like 'eh.' I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' And he was like, 'My brother's [Tony Scott's] was original, and this is like eh.' He really respected it, but you could see how tough he was. So I was like, 'There's no way I win this one.'(https://ew.com/movies/ridley-scott-thinks-new-alien-movie-great/)

k) Ridley sees an early cut of the film

Ridley Scott viewed a cut of the film alone. He then walked into the room and gave Alvarez his thoughts.

Ridley said "Fede, what can I say? It's fucking great,"

Fede's family would come to know it would be one of the best moments of his life to have a master like him, who he admired so much, to even watch a movie he made… but particularly something like this… and then talk to him for an hour about what he liked about it.

He then said "The dialogue is great. Are you the writer?'

Fede's response, taking it as one of the best compliments was "Yes!"

After Scott viewed the film alone, he gave Álvarez his thoughts. "He walks into the room and he did say, 'Fede, what can I say? It's fuckinging great,'" Álvarez recalled.

"For me it was like… My family knows it was one of the best moments of my life to have a master like him, who I admired so much, to even watch a movie I made… but particularly something like this… and talk to me for an hour about what he liked about it. One of the best compliments he said was, 'The dialogue is great. Are you the writer?' Yes!"(https://ew.com/movies/ridley-scott-thinks-new-alien-movie-great/)

Alien: Romulus

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