Alien: Romulusdirector Fede Alvarez reveals that one controversial element of the movie has been fixed for the home release versions. Hitting theaters last August, the seventh installment in theAlienfranchise stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, and Isabela Merced, among others, as a young crew who encounters a Xenomorph while aboard a derelict space station. Though theAlien: Romulusreviewswere generally quite positive, the inclusion of the late Ian Holm via CGI and animatronics was divisive, in part due to the effect ultimately not looking very convincing.
During a recent interview withEmpire,Alvarez confirms that Rook, the synthetic that Holm appeared as inAlien: Romulus, has been touched up and improved for the home release versions of the movie. According to the director, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with how the effect looked in the movie, but there ultimately wasn’t enough time to fix it before release.
Alvarez explains that “a mix of techniques” was used to bring Rook to life, including a practical animatronic and digital effects. As production progressed, it was decided that Rook be more digital, butthe filmmaker reveals that the version of Rook in the home entertainment versions feature much more of the animatronic. Check out Alvarez’s comment below:
“We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right. I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them.
“We fixed it. We made it better for the release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better. [Animatronic puppeteer] Shane Mahan actually did this animatronic of Ian Holm based on a head cast fromLord Of The Rings, and that was the only one in existence. What we did [for the home entertainment version] was revert a lot more to the puppet. It’s way better.”
In addition to playing Ash inAlien(1979), Holm is well known for his role as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy.
What The Rook Changes Mean For Alien: Romulus' Home Release
Why The Character’s Inclusion Was Controversial
Holm passed away in 2020, but his family gave Alvarez their blessing to include the late actor’s likeness in the movie as Rook, a villainous science officer that theAlien: Romuluscastof characters encounter while exploring the Renaissance space station. In addition to featuring some questionable CGI,the inclusion of Holm’s likeness was widely criticized for feeling like an unnecessary bit of fan service. Rook, after all, is an entirely new character, and he could have been played by anyone.
5 Actors Who Would Have Been A Better Fit For Alien: Romulus’ Rook
Alien: Romulus saw the CGI return of a classic Alien actor as the android Rook, despite there being several other candidates that were better choices.
Alvarez’s fixes to the Rook scenes are unlikely to sway those who feel the inclusion of Holm’s likeness takes away from the story. Purely from a visual standpoint, however, the scenes are an improvement. The lighting has been adjusted in some scenes andthe movements of Rook’s mouth look more natural. Even before the changes,Alien: Romuluswas a success both critically and commercially, but the changes will be sure to make it a title that is easier to revisit in the years ahead.
Alien: Romulusgrossed $350 million worldwide at the box office and has a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Our Take On Alvarez’s Rook Changes In Alien: Romulus
The Updates Are A Welcome Improvement
Alvarez didn’t have to go back and fix theRook scenes inAlien: Romulus, but doing so shows a level of care and attention that is worth celebrating.Carrying out these changes would also have taken a not-insignificant investment from the studio, speaking to their commitment to the movie and Alvarez’s vision.
There’s a strong argument to be made that Holm’s likeness shouldn’t have been included in the movie at all and that it is ultimately more distracting than beneficial to the story. But since the character can’t be removed entirely, these post-production changes are the best audiences could have hoped for. With anAlien: Romulussequel in development, it’s looking like Alvarez will be returning to the franchise, and rewatching his debut installment in the saga will now be even more enjoyable.
Alien: Romulus
Cast
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
