The Alien: Romulus Sequel Should Draw Greater Inspiration From Alien: Isolation

Essential Insights

The sequel to Alien: Romulus must take cues from Alien: Isolation to enhance its pacing and horror elements.
Rain should confront terrifying challenges earlier in the sequel to heighten the stakes, steering clear of turning the film into a Xenomorph-hunting spree.
The follow-up should amplify the menace of Xenomorphs, crafting tension-filled sequences reminiscent of Alien: Isolation.

Exciting news has emerged that 20th Century Studios is in the preliminary stages of developing a sequel to Alien: Romulus. However, to distinguish this sequel from its predecessors within the Alien universe, it should draw further inspiration from Creative Assembly’s acclaimed 2014 video game, Alien: Isolation.

Alien: Isolation remains a benchmark in the survival horror genre. Its developers, Creative Assembly, a studio based in the UK, have also announced their work on a sequel to the game, a significant revelation since it is celebrated for redefining survival horror experiences. This groundbreaking game immerses players in a chilling environment where they truly feel pursued by a relentless Xenomorph, an intensity unmatched by any subsequent titles.

Influence of Alien: Isolation on Alien: Romulus

After the release of Alien: Romulus, the film’s director and writer, Fede Alvarez, noted that Alien: Isolation significantly influenced the film’s creation, a fact evident in its execution. In Alien: Isolation, players assume the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of the iconic Ellen Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver in the original series. Amanda’s quest leads her to Sevastopol, a space station orbiting the gas giant KG-348, where she quickly realizes she is not alone—hunted by a deadly Xenomorph and confronted by malfunctioning androids.

The game’s enduring legacy is a testament to its excellence. Observing Alien: Romulus, it is evident that Alvarez sought to evoke the same spine-chilling terror experienced by players. Like the Sevastopol, the movie is set in a vast space station named the Renaissance, featuring familiar design elements such as spiky circular air ducts. Moreover, the film’s lead, Rain Carradine (played by Cailee Spaeny), mirrors Amanda Ripley’s character; both are determined orphans, independently striving for a brighter future.

Fede Alvarez’s Remarks on Alien: Isolation

Listing the resemblances between Alien: Romulus and Alien: Isolation reveals the depth of the game’s impact on Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues. Alvarez has openly shared his thoughts in recent discussions.

He mentioned, “I played it a few years after its release when I was anticipating Don’t Breathe. That experience made me realize I would love to create an Alien film and terrify audiences with the creature and the environments.”

Alvarez elaborated: “In Alien: Romulus, we placed a phone at every moment leading up to a crisis. In the game, seeing a phone meant you were about to encounter a tense scenario. The same principle applies here; phones are strategically positioned in the film to cue the audience for impending dread.”

Enhancing the Alien: Romulus Sequel with Inspiration from Isolation

It’s intriguing to observe how deeply Alvarez was influenced by Alien: Isolation. The foundation laid by the game is undeniable in the film’s construction. With 20th Century Studios now contemplating a sequel, it’s crucial to identify areas for improvement. While Alien: Romulus received a positive reception, it also had its shortcomings, including inconsistencies such as the extended delay before Rain and others first encountered a Xenomorph, raising questions about the creature’s whereabouts prior to the climax.

Many such inconsistencies are present, but the film overall was enjoyable yet had potential for greater depth. Comparatively, Alien: Isolation stands as a near-perfect model of pacing, with Amanda encountering a Xenomorph almost immediately upon her arrival at the space station, plunging both her character and the player into immediate action—something that Romulus could have adopted. Although Romulus effectively builds suspense, its slow initial pacing could greatly benefit from an earlier appearance of the Xenomorph.

Immediate Horror for Rain in the Alien: Romulus Sequel

The sequel to Alien: Romulus needs to thrust Rain and her brother, the malfunctioning android Andy (portrayed admirably by David Jonsson), into gripping action from the outset. The first film concluded with the duo entering cryosleep as they sought refuge on the planet Yvaga. The follow-up should mirror Alien: Isolation in establishing stakes right away. The pacing in Romulus was relatively leisurely, in stark contrast to the brisk tempo of the video game. If Alvarez returns, this provides an excellent opportunity for him to escalate the horror from the film’s beginning.

The groundwork has been laid perfectly by Alien: Romulus for drawing the audience into immediately rising stakes. Nonetheless, it’s critical for the sequel to avoid the pitfall of becoming a mere Xenomorph slaughter, a misstep that impacted various later entries in the Alien franchise following Ridley Scott’s original masterpiece. Transitioning from horror to sci-fi action did not work in the favor of the series. The sequel should retain its focus on horror themes, akin to Alien: Isolation.

Enhancing the Xenomorph Threat in the Alien: Romulus Sequel

Alien: Isolation managed to instill a true sense of danger with its Xenomorphs. Amanda frequently had to conceal herself from these creatures, crafting moments of suspense that were lacking in Alien: Romulus. The sequel could leverage more such encounters to communicate the inherent threat posed by Xenomorphs. In Alien: Isolation, the tension pivotal to these encounters underscores the dominance of these creatures within their territory, keeping humans perpetually on edge. While Romulus touched on this concept, there remains a need for greater emphasis in the sequel.

If Fede Alvarez reprises his role in the sequel, there’s hope he will heighten the level of danger the Xenomorphs pose. They must not be relegated to mere expendable foes, as was seen in James Cameron’s Aliens, where the Colonial Marines faced off against Xenomorphs with relative ease, detracting from their perceived menace and the overall horror.

Alien: Romulus is currently available for viewing through VOD platforms.

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