Alien: Romulusdoesn’t open in theaters until August 16, but we know from the trailer that the film will feature a hallmark of the horror/sci-fi film series: a gruesome chestburster scene. Ever since 1979’sAlientraumatized a generation of filmgoers by gruesomely killing off John Hurt, the chestburster has been featured in various, terrifying ways in every subsequent film. In an interview withTotal Film,Alien: Romulusdirector Fede Alvarez reveals that he approached his chestburster scene like it was something from a nature documentary. With hilarious results.
Alvarez admits the film is a blendof the terror ofAlienand the action inAliens, but said filming the scene was hardly a somber or terrifying experience.In fact, cast and crew were joking, and began narrating the actions as if it were a scene fromDavid Attenborough’sPlanet Earth.He said:
“It is done almost like a nature documentary. While we were seeing it on set we were joking, ‘The creature is coming out slow. It’s looking for the scent of the mother.’ The creature’s not trying to be scary. The creature is trying to get the f**k out of that cocoon, that happens to be a person. It’s almost like this is more realistic in a way, but without betraying all the beautiful things of the original designs.”
Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
That sort of approach to horror may not seem logical to some, butAlvarez has earned a reputationof being a filmmaker with the right instincts. The writer and director ofEvil Dead(2013) andDon’t Breathe(2016) knows how to make films that push buttons and make viewers uncomfortable. That sort of cinematic style makesAliena perfect vehicle for him.The recent trailer for Alien: Romulus shows the beginning of the chestburster scene, which is a bit of a spoiler, as it reveals which character is the unlucky victim.Though, having said that, the trailer seems to reveal that most of the cast won’t make it out alive, much like the original film.
What is Alien: Romulus About?
Details of theplot ofAlien: Romulusare fairly thin, but the official synopsis and trailer make it clear the story will feel like a throwback to the original film. Set between the events ofAlienandAliens, the film follows Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Civil War), who plays Rain Carradine, a young woman from a mining colony who joins her brother Andy (David Jonsson) as they join a group of young people as they look to make a fortune by looting a derelict space station, the Romulus, of its high-tech equipment. Their plans go south when they find out they are not alone, and confront the deadliest life form in the universe.
Alien: Romulus Star Prepared for Her Role By Watching One Iconic Performance ‘on Repeat for Months’
Even though she isn’t trying to be Ellen Ripley, the Romulus star knows the impact Sigourney Weaver had on how women are perceived in film.
The film also stars Isabela Merced as Kay, Archie Renaux as Tyler, and Spike Fearn as Bjorn. To keep the film’s look consistent with the first two films, Alvarez minimized the use of green screen, andopted for practical effects and physical sets, which added to the film’s classic feel. That may also apply to the chestburster scene as well, but Alvarez isn’t giving up those secrets yet.
Alien: Romulusbursts into theaters on August 22, 2025.
