The upcoming science fiction horror fiction movie Alien: Romulus is generating hype for all the right reasons. The seventh installment of the Alien franchise is set in the middle of Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and James Cameron’s Aliens (1986).
The movie is not just based on the works of Scott and Cameron, but also features several inputs suggested by the legendary filmmakers as well. In a recent interview, director Fede Alvarez detailed how Cameron’s vision helped him shape an important aspect of the movie.
James Cameron Helped Fede Alvarez for Alien: Romulus
James Cameron is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers with his plethora of blockbuster movies. But apart from that, he’s also a big supporter when it comes to helping other directors with his cinematic knowledge. The same was added by Alien: Romulus’ director Fede Alvarez during an interview via Cinema Blend at this year’s Comic Con.
On being asked “how much of Cameron’s DNA is in Romulus,” the director added that the director was a big help when it came to understanding the intricate details about aliens in the movie. For the same, he had reached out to him, and Cameron was kind enough to arrange a two-hour Zoom call to have a detailed discussion.
During the initial hour of the call, Cameron listed out his experience with the franchise and how to manage such creatures and Xenomorphs on the screen. The second hour was spent brainstorming and enhancing the upcoming movie with the filmmaker’s creative input. Fede Alvarez further added, “He devoted so much time for us,” and not just that, but he also reviewed the first cut of the movie and offered more feedback on how to redefine it.
Not just Cameron, but even Ridley Scott watched the first cut of the movie and added only positive things about it. But the director added that both directors had a startling difference in their filmmaking techniques. He added via Screen Rant and said, “It’s also fascinating because Cameron and Scott’s notes and comments are completely different.”
Further, he added that the most fantastic part of making this movie was to work with both the legendary filmmakers.
Fede Alvarez Bringing in Practical Sets For Alien: Romulus
Fede Alvarez is all set to take Alien: Romulus back to its classic horror roots. Further, to ensure this, the filmmaker is leaving no stone unturned. To maintain the same eerie feel of the original movie, Alvarez and his entire crew have placed a strong importance on practical sets. For this, the director had called in movement coordinators and the practical effects team from James Cameron’s Aliens (via Collider).
This would further ensure that the upcoming sci-fi horror movie remains authentic and true to the franchise’s roots. Further, significant time and effort have been invested by the creative team to bring out a more spine-chilling and immersive experience for the audience. The director has also added in a past interview how he wanted to create more practical sets and avoid heavy use of CGI for the movie.
Not only this, but the director also plans to maintain mystery and suspense by concealing the aliens for the majority of the movie. This formula not only pays homage to the original classics, but also maintains a sense of dread and realism.
Alien: Romulus is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 16, 2024.
