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Alien: Romulus Director Fede Álvarez Shares A Positive Update On Potential Sequel, Says 'We Definitely Have Ideas'
Fede Álvarez confirmed that he and his team have already begun brainstorming ideas for a potential follow-up of Aliens: Romulus, but emphasized that the decision will be after seeing audience demand.
Fans have been speculating on a possible sequel to this new Alien: Romulus venture as fervently as they were following the 2017 film Alien: Covenant, so the film would. That made for the ninth live-action installment in the Alien franchise—an addition to a space horror franchise that has sprawled into comic books and video games. Following on from the general popularity of Don't Breathe, there are hints from its director, Fede Alvarez, toward ideas for a possible sequel—why wouldn't the creator think ahead?
Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez teases potential sequel plans
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Álvarez was asked if he knew the potential for a sequel to Romulus was already there. He said he could definitely pitch one, explaining his creative process lends itself to thinking about what's next. Álvarez said, "Yes, I definitely can. We tend to do that naturally, not even thinking about sequels." He said that for him, storytelling has always been the focus and it is only recently, in the last decade that he has learned the industry's language of franchises and sequels.
Once Romulus was finished, the discussion among the team turned organically to what could come next. He remembered how they decided on what would happen to the characters and how much they actually took into consideration whether the destination they were heading to, a place known as Yvaga, was actually going to be some type of paradise or something even more sinister. It was in one of these meetings that he remembered there would be huge scope for a sequel.
The Alien series is renowned for having surprising twists like what happened with Sigourney Weaver's character, Ripley. Alien ended with Ripley waiting to be rescued in her cryochamber, which turned out to be almost an entire century before being rescued in Aliens. At the end of Aliens, she again went into cryosleep, leading to that uncertain journey which Alien 3 opened with her shipmates not surviving. With these complicated narrative leaps, it goes without saying that so much can happen between the films that allow for a host of storytelling possibilities.
But, Fede Alvarez will take some time to think about the sequel
However, Álvarez himself seems to be in no such haste to go ahead and dispense a sequel. He spoke at great length about really taking the time to make sure that there is something worthy out there and wanting to take his time until a new chapter felt necessary and the audience wanted that.
He explained, "We really try to think about it more in terms of story and if it needs another chapter and whether people want to know what happens next." Álvarez further added that sequels are not necessarily to be rushed, citing the seven years it took between Alien and Aliens for the audience to desire the next chapter in the story. He is still open to a sequel but only on one condition: if the audience really wants it and if the story obliges.
"If you think about Alien and Aliens, there's seven years between them. But we definitely have ideas about where it should go."
Set between the first two films in the franchise, Alien: Romulus has already received accolades for being among the greatest Alien sequels. It holds an 81% Rotten Tomatoes score, placing it just behind Alien and Aliens—two of the series' most popular installments—and right alongside Ridley Scott's more recent entries. Its success, however, has not come without controversy. The movie stoked fans' debate, many of whom, in outrage, labeled the film blasphemous for its resurrection of a legacy character in such a controversial way—though really, not necessarily as he once was.
Álvarez has made a serious case for himself as a visionary horror director and is known for his fearless style of storytelling. In 2013's Evil Dead, Álvarez eschewed the source material's funny touches to create something drenched in unease, amounting to a truly frightening film. With Alien: Romulus, Álvarez peppers it with nods to the others in the series that are small enough to miss perhaps if you aren't invested.
Álvarez leaves his mark on this series, taking Ridley Scott's creation to new extremes, and ultimately crafts a space horror entry unlike any other in the series. With every fan eagerly awaiting any news of a sequel, Álvarez's careful approach assures one that if another chapter comes, it will be well worth the wait.
ALSO READ: Alien: Romulus Brings Back THIS Character From Original Film; Here's What We Know
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