Alien: Romulus Clearly Connects to Its Prequel

Essential Highlights

Alien: Romulus marks a revitalizing return for the Alien series.
Investigating the fate of the Renaissance crew could pave the way for a prequel.
The tie-in comic of Alien: Romulus hints at the possibilities for a Renaissance prequel narrative.

Alien: Romulus has emerged as one of the standout horror films of the year, breathing new life into the decades-old sci-fi series. This film serves as both a sequel and a prequel while also containing a compelling storyline that could warrant its own prequel film.

Under the direction of Fede Alvarez, Alien: Romulus unfolds in the time frame between the original Alien and its sequel Aliens. It features a fresh cast of characters who venture into a derelict spacecraft seeking cryostasis chambers to escape their bleak planet. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson portray adoptive siblings—one human and the other an android—facing intense challenges when they find themselves ensnared by a swarm of xenomorphs aboard the seemingly deserted station. Fans of the franchise celebrated Alien: Romulus for its return to the series’ origins, effectively reviving the claustrophobic monster movie vibe that defined the original.

The Introduction of the Renaissance Space Station in Alien Romulus

Director:	Fede Alvarez
Cast:	Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Aileen Wu, Isabela Merced
Duration:	1 hour 59 minutes
Genre:	Horror, Sci-fi

Although not quite as iconic as the Nostromo, Alien: Romulus offers a similar sense of confinement within the abandoned Weyland-Yutani research facility, the Renaissance, set adrift in the orbit of LV-410. The station is split into two significant areas, Romulus and Remus, which serve as the backdrop for Alien: Romulus. Characters Rain and Andy join the heist targeting the Renaissance, relying on Andy’s android capabilities to interact with the station’s systems. Upon their arrival, the crew stumbles upon a series of eerie occurrences, including the gruesome body of an android. Following an attack from facehuggers—one of which attaches itself to Navarro—Rain manages to reactivate the android to uncover the grim history of the station.

When reactivated, the android named Rook (whose design is reminiscent of Ash from the original Alien) elaborates on the Renaissance’s tragic fate. Once an active research hub, the Renaissance’s downfall began with the return of a Weyland-Yutani probe from the Nostromo wreckage, harboring a dormant xenomorph. Rook reveals that the crew mistakenly believed the creature to be lifeless—an assumption that proved catastrophic.

The Fate of the Renaissance Crew

Upon reaching the Renaissance, Rain, Andy, and their companions find the station in disarray, with the previous inhabitants either missing or dead. Rook describes the aftermath of the xenomorph’s revival: “It terrorized this station, until the remnants of our security team put it down, only to incite its final act.” He gestures toward the remains of the defeated xenomorph. While the implications of other films in the Alien series clearly indicate the crew’s fate, delving into the specifics of the xenomorph’s rampage could yield rich storytelling opportunities for a potential Alien: Romulus prequel.

Marvel Comics explored this angle in their one-shot Alien: Romulus tie-in comic, published shortly after the film’s debut. This comic elaborates on the events leading to the crew’s demise and details how the xenomorph was unleashed aboard the station. It reveals a divide within the crew: Rook aimed to examine the specimen in accordance with his Weyland-Yutani directives, while security personnel sought to eliminate it. When two officers, Hyla and Adrian, attempted to access the Remus section to eject the alien into space—mirroring Ripley’s actions long ago—Hyla inadvertently triggered the xenomorph’s awakening from its cryogenic state.

As previously noted by Rook in Alien: Romulus, the xenomorph created chaos among the crew. Rook and Hyla, two of the last survivors, teamed up to eradicate the xenomorph; however, Rook ultimately betrayed Hyla in his quest to safeguard the station, sealing her fate and that of their fellow crew members. While the Alien: Romulus comic effectively explains the crew’s tragic story, it drew some critique for condensing the narrative into a brief format. A prequel exploring the Renaissance’s story could potentially adapt this thrilling tale for the big screen, providing answers to unresolved questions.

Future Prospects for Alien: Romulus

Until recently, the future of Alien: Romulus seemed uncertain. However, Steve Asbell, head of 20th Century Studios, recently confirmed that discussions are underway with director Fede Alvarez for a sequel. Unlike a prequel, this upcoming project is intended to follow Rain and Andy’s journey after their escape from the Renaissance. Nonetheless, the idea of a prequel exploring the Renaissance’s story remains viable. Following in the footsteps of Predator, which is set to receive a secret animated anthology film, the Alien franchise could also explore animated storytelling, making the Renaissance narrative an ideal candidate for such an adaptation.

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