a) 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 right 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. (Acheron was primarily from Greek mythology but it was carried over into the Roman poet Virgil's Aeneid)
Fede decided that asking Alien fan to choose between them is a perverse question, So he thought, ‘How do I do both?’
b) Renaissance Station,\ Romulus is Aliens, Remus is Alien
In this film, there would be moments where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo, Then they cross through that building and on the other side: boom! You would then be in a hallway that looks like Hadley’s Hope from Aliens.
But the space station where most of the story took place was called Renaissance Station. It 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.
It was made from two big modules
that were connected. One was called Romulus which is brand new, the
place by the time of the film is battered but the technolgy is far more
recent, so it looks more like what is seen in Aliens, while the other
module Remus is older as in Alien. 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?'
Fede wanted to point 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)- Fede Alvarez: To ask an Alien fan to choose between them is a perverse question, So I thought, ‘How do I do both?’” (https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/alien-romulus-hybrid-alien-aliens-says-fede-alvarez-exclusive/)
- Fede Alvarez: There’s a moment where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo, Then they cross through that building and on the other side: boom! You’re in a hallway that looks like Hadley’s Hope [from Aliens]. (https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/alien-romulus-hybrid-alien-aliens-says-fede-alvarez-exclusive/)
- Fede Alvarez: Weyland-Yutani tends to have inclination towards Roman mythology some of the planets are named after Roman ivers and so on so there is a constant connection between the company and the Roman Empire. (p26, SFX Magazine, September 2024)
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