The Alien mythology has evolved over the years, and while it doesn’t always work out, 2024’s Alien: Romulus was widely considered a return to form for the beloved sci-fi franchise. As anticipation continues to build for its forthcoming sequel, Fede Álvarez has confirmed that he won’t be returning to the director’s seat.
Speaking to TooFab, the filmmaker confirmed a new director for the follow-up, but he will remain as a producer.
“We just finished the script, actually, for a sequel for Romulus. But I’m going to pass the torch on this one as director,” said Álvarez. “I’m going to produce it, with Ridley Scott. We’re going to produce it together, and we’re right now trying to find a new filmmaker to come in.”
“That’s usually what has happened, except for Ridley. Filmmakers come, you make one, and you pass the baton to the next one. But we wrote the story because we really love what we started with ‘Romulus’, and we want to continue the story. We love the story, and now we just want to find a director that really wants to go for the jugular,” he added.
Scott directed the original Alien, before James Cameron took over for its 1986 sequel, Aliens. The change of hands carried over to 1992’s Alien 3 (David Fincher), 1997’s Alien Resurrection (Jean-Pierre Jeunet), and the Alien vs. Predator movies, first by Paul W.S. Anderson and the Brothers Strause for the 2017 sequel. The prequels, Prometheus and Alien Covenant, marked Scott’s return.
Set between the first two films in the long-running franchise, Alien: Romulus starred Caliee Spaeny (Priscilla), David Jonsson (Industry), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Spike Fearn (Tell Me Everything), and Aileen Wu as six young space colonists who encounter hostile creatures while scavenging a derelict space station. It collected US$351 million at the worldwide box office, with filming on the sequel expected to begin in October.
Story details have yet to be revealed, but it’s set to tread “into uncharted waters” with protagonist Rain staying front and centre.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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