The Alien: Romulus Sequel Has to Take More Inspiration From Alien: Isolation

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Summary

Alien: Romulus sequel must draw inspiration from Alien: Isolation for improved pacing and horror elements.
Rain should face horror sooner in sequel to intensify stakes; avoid transforming into a Xenomorph-killing spree.
The sequel should make Xenomorphs more menacing, creating suspenseful moments akin to those in Alien: Isolation.

It's been revealed that 20th Century Studios is in early development on an Alien: Romulus sequel, which is wonderful to hear. However, if they're going to make this sequel really stand out from the rest of the Alien franchise, it needs to take even more inspiration from Creative Assembly's 2014 video game, Alien: Isolation.

Alien: Isolation is a survival horror video game that has truly stood the test of time, and Creative Assembly—the UK-based developers behind the game—recently revealed they are working on a sequel. This is huge news, as the game remains one of the best in its genre and has done a lot for survival horror. It was the first Alien video game to make you feel genuinely hunted by a Xenomorph, and no other game has come close since.

Split image of Xenomorphs and characters from the Alien franchise

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How Was Alien: Romulus Inspired by Alien: Isolation?

After Alien: Romulus was released, writer and director Fede Alvarez revealed that Alien: Isolation was a major influence on the film's development, and it really shows in the final product. In Alien: Isolation, you play as Amanda Ripley, Ellen Ripley's daughter (Ellen Ripley was famously played by Sigourney Weaver in the original Alien movies). Amanda's search for answers about her mother leads her to the Sevastopol, a space station orbiting the gas giant KG-348. However, she soon discovers she's not alone, hunted by a Xenomorph and dealing with malfunctioning androids.

The video game is a masterpiece; its lasting impact speaks for itself. Watching Alien: Romulus, it's clear Alvarez wanted to replicate that sense of terror that players experience in the game. The movie also takes place on a massive space station, the Renaissance, which closely resembles the Sevastopol in Alien: Isolation, complete with spiky circular air ducts. Additionally, the movie's protagonist, Rain Carradine (played by Cailee Spaeny), shares much in common with Amanda Ripley: they are both orphans, both strong and independent women, and both seeking a better life.

What Has Fede Alvarez Said About Alien: Isolation?

Listing the similarities between Alien: Romulus and Alien: Isolation adds up. It becomes clear that Fede Alvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues were heavily influenced by the game. Alvarez has been upfront about this in recent interviews. During an interview on the Inside Total Film Podcast, Alvarez revealed: "Alien: Isolation was kind of what made me see that Alien could truly be terrifying and done well [today]."

Alvarez added: "I played it a few years after it came out. Don't Breathe was coming out, or I was waiting for Don't Breathe to come out, and I was playing the game. That's when I thought, 'If I could do anything, I would love to do Alien and scare the audience again with that creature and those environments.' I was playing and realizing how terrifying Alien could be if you take it back to that tone."

The Uruguayan filmmaker further explained: "The movie [Alien: Romulus] is set up so every time something bad is about to happen, you see a phone. In the game, every time you saw a phone, you'd go, 'I'm about to go into some bad set-piece.' It's the same here. Phones are strategically placed throughout the film. When you see one, brace for impact."

The Alien: Romulus Sequel Needs To Take More Cues From Alien: Isolation

Rain staring at the sun in Alien Romulus

It's fascinating to see how much Alvarez was inspired by Alien: Isolation. It's almost as if Alien: Romulus wouldn't exist without it. But now that 20th Century Studios is looking at making a sequel, it's important to consider what the follow-up could improve upon. While Alien: Romulus was well-received, it had its flaws. There were plot holes, like why Rain and the others sneaking onto the Renaissance didn't encounter a Xenomorph until nearly the last third of the movie. Where were they hiding, and why?

Many other plot holes also exist, but there are too many to list here. In short, Alien: Romulus was good, but it could have been better. By contrast, Alien: Isolation is nearly flawless in its pacing. Amanda encounters a Xenomorph immediately after arriving on the space station, which puts both the character and player directly into the action—something Romulus could have done earlier. Although Romulus builds tension effectively, the slow start could have benefited from an earlier introduction of the Xenomorph.

Rain Needs to Be Thrown Into The Horror From The Beginning In The Alien: Romulus Sequel

One thing the Alien: Romulus sequel should do is put Rain and her brother, the malfunctioning android Andy (played brilliantly by David Jonsson), into the action right from the start. Alien: Romulus ended with the two going into cryosleep, hoping to reach Yvaga, the planet they were trying to escape to. The sequel, like Alien: Isolation, should establish the stakes quickly. The pacing in Romulus was a bit slow, unlike Creative Assembly's game. Now that the groundwork has been laid out in the first film, Alvarez—should he return—has an opportunity to intensify the terror right from the sequel's opening.

The scene is perfectly set by Alien: Romulus for Alvarez to raise the stakes, similar to Alien: Isolation. However, the sequel must avoid becoming a simple Xenomorph-killing spree, an issue that plagued later Alien movies after Ridley Scott's original masterpiece. Shifting away from horror to sci-fi action didn't do the franchise any favors. The Alien: Romulus sequel should stick to horror, just as Alien: Isolation did.

The Xenomorphs Need to Be More Threatening In The Alien: Romulus Sequel

Alien: Isolation excelled in making the Xenomorphs feel genuinely dangerous. Amanda frequently hides from Xenomorphs, creating suspenseful moments absent in Alien: Romulus. The film could have used more scenes like that. In Alien: Isolation, these encounters emphasize the terror these creatures invoke. Alien: Romulus' sequel should similarly convey that Xenomorphs dominate their surroundings, with humans in constant peril. Alien: Romulus touched on this but needed to make the point more explicit.

Hopefully, if Fede Alvarez returns, he'll amplify the Xenomorphs' threat level in the sequel. They can't become expendable enemies, which is what happened in James Cameron's Aliens. In that film, the Colonial Marines were mowing down Xenomorphs (or "bugs" as they called them) left and right, diminishing their threat and, thus, their horror.

Alien: Romulus is available now via VOD.