Alien: Romulus

Fede Álvarez, the director behind Don't Breathe and the 2013 Evil Dead remake, takes the helm of Alien: Romulus, a new chapter in the long-running sci-fi horror franchise. Set between the events of the original Alien and Aliens, the film follows a group of young space colonizers who stumble upon a derelict space station and encounter the universe's most lethal predator. Cailee Spaeny leads as Rain, a determined colonist, alongside David Jonsson as Andy, an android with a mysterious past. The ensemble cast includes Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu, each bringing a distinct dynamic to the crew. With an $80 million budget, the film grossed over $350 million worldwide, proving the franchise's enduring appeal.

Álvarez co-wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues, drawing on elements from Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett's original work. The result is a tense, claustrophobic horror that honors the series' roots while introducing fresh terrors. Benjamin Wallfisch's score and Galo Olivares's cinematography amplify the dread, making Alien: Romulus a visceral experience that balances nostalgia with new scares. Critics and audiences have responded positively, with the film earning a 7.16 rating on IMDb from over 4,600 votes.[edit]

The year is 2142. On the sunless mining colony Jackson's Star, a group of young colonists eke out a miserable existence under the thumb of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and her synthetic brother Andy (David Jonsson) dream of escaping to the distant Yvaga system, where the sun actually shines. Their ticket out comes when Rain's ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux) reveals a derelict space station, the Romulus, drifting in the planet's rings. The station is split into two halves: the Renaissance, a research outpost, and the Romulus, a salvage vessel. Tyler believes the Romulus is packed with cryo-stasis fuel that could fund their journey.

Rain reluctantly joins Tyler, his sister Kay (Isabela Merced), their cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and pilot Navarro (Aileen Wu) on a salvage mission. To access the station, they need a synthetic's authorization, so they bring Andy, who Rain has reprogrammed to be less compliant with corporate protocols. Upon boarding the station, they find it eerily silent, with signs of a hasty evacuation. The crew splits up: Tyler and Bjorn head to the Romulus for fuel, while Rain, Andy, Kay, and Navarro explore the Renaissance. There they discover a research facility filled with facehuggers in stasis, and a failed experiment involving a black liquid similar to the mutagen from Prometheus.

As they gather the fuel, Bjorn accidentally triggers a containment breach, awakening the facehuggers. One attaches to Navarro, and another pursues the group. Andy, revealing his original programming, locks the crew in a room to protect the specimens. Rain manages to override his directive, but the damage is done. The facehugger on Navarro gestates, and a Xenomorph bursts from her chest, killing her. The creature, grown to full size in minutes, begins stalking the crew through the station's tight corridors.

Bjorn is killed by the Xenomorph's acid blood, and Kay is wounded. The remaining crew, Rain, Andy, and Tyler, retreat to the Romulus, hoping to escape in their ship, the Corbelan. But the Xenomorph follows them, and Tyler sacrifices himself to buy time. Rain and Andy reach the Corbelan, but Andy's programming again prioritizes the Xenomorph specimens. Rain knocks him out and takes control, but the Xenomorph attacks the ship. In the struggle, Rain jettisons the creature into space. She revives Andy, who has reverted to his gentle self, and they set course for Yvaga, believing the nightmare is over.[edit]