Entertainment
Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’ Franchise Hits New High as ‘Romulus’ Dominates Streaming
In 1979, filmmaker Ridley Scott reimagined the sci-fi genre with an added touch of brutal terror when he unleashed Alien on cinema-goers around the world. The film not only launched a franchise and gave us a new kind of final girl in Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, but also earned the bragging rights of being a favorite among its peers. While so often, films of the like are looked over during the award circuit, Alien stood out enough to not just land the Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, but also secured the bag and took the trophy home.
In the years since Alien’s initial success, the franchise has grown to a whopping seven titles — nine if you count the Alien vs. Predator crossover flicks as part of the lineup. What started with Scott quickly branched out to include some other incredibly talented filmmakers, with names like James Cameron and David Fincher picking up the reins and putting their own spin on things. Sadly, by the time the new millennium rolled around, it seemed like new and exciting ideas were beginning to fall by the wayside, and the film series was hit with a handful of less-than-savory releases.
That all shifted in 2024, when Fede Álvarez stepped out of the dark and chilly expanse of space to deliver Alien: Romulus. Shifting the focus from Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, the film introduced a brand-new lineup of stars to the extraterrestrial universe with Cailee Spaeny stepping into the role of Rain Carradine and stealing the hearts of viewers everywhere alongside her android brother, Andy (David Jonsson). Not only did the film breathe new life into the franchise, but it expanded on what could be achieved in the genre, all while raking in a staggering $350.9 million at the global box office. And, even though it’s been almost two years since Romulus graced the screens of local cinemas, it’s still a fan-favorite hit as, according to FlixPatrol, the movie sits at the top of HBO Max’s global Top 10 chart.
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What’s Next for the ‘Alien’ Franchise?
Following the success of Alien: Romulus, 20th Century Studios was quick to push forward a plan for a sequel. While Álvarez might not be attached to helm the production, things are still moving at a decent pace for the upcoming installment. Beyond the big screen, FX and Noah Hawley struck gold late last year with the arrival of Alien: Earth, which scored big with critics and fans alike. Now moving towards a second season, the series looks like it has plenty of running power left.
Head over to HBO Max now to stream Alien: Romulus.
- Release Date
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August 16, 2024
- Runtime
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119 Minutes
- Director
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Fede Alvarez
- Writers
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Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett
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