In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Isabela Merced shared that a graphically intense scene from the film left the cast and crew unable to keep their eyes on the screen.
The actress described a moment during reshoots when she, holding an iPad with the playback, saw her fellow cast members turning away from the screen, unable to watch the unsettling footage. However, Merced’s reaction was pretty different from her colleagues:
“So there’s a scene that I’m in, and they all had to turn away. Not one person stayed looking at that iPad because it was so disgusting. And I was watching it like this … (Merced pretends to hold an iPad with a mesmerized look on her face.) I was so excited. (Laughs.)”
Directed by Fede Álvarez, known for his horror hits ‘Evil Dead’ and ‘Don’t Breathe,’ ‘Alien: Romulus‘ promises to return to the horror roots of the franchise while steering clear of the lore explorations seen in recent entries like ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Alien: Covenant.’ Merced’s tease about the scene comes as no surprise, given Álvarez’s history in horror.
What to Expect From ‘Alien: Romulus’
Set to bridge the narrative gap between the original ‘Alien’ (1979) and its sequel ‘Aliens’ (1986), ‘Alien: Romulus’ follows a group of young adventurers as they encounter Xenomorph for the first time.
Promoted as a standalone installment in the franchise, it aims to offer a new perspective while keeping the eerie atmosphere and suspense that fans have come to expect from the series. The film has a cast including Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, David Jonsson, Aileen Wu, and Spike Fearn, whose roles are not yet disclosed.
After the Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the future of the ‘Alien’ series was uncertain. However, the announcement of ‘Alien: Romulus,’ initially slated for a Hulu release, has now been confirmed for a theatrical debut by 20th Century Studios on August 16, 2024.
Principal photography, which took place in Budapest from March to July 2023, has wrapped up, and with the release date approaching, more details about the film are emerging. While ‘Alien: Romulus’ promises a new direction for the franchise, it also seeks to honor the essence of the original films.
