As summer enters its final stretch, all eyes are on what movies might make it big in the August box office. Is Fede Álvarez‘s “Alien: Romulus” a movie that could make a big splash in a way that “Furiosa” and “The Fall Guy” didn’t? It’s entirely possible, but maybe the official first clip from the movie will provide intel on this sci-fi horror’s commercial potential.
Granted, there’s not much to go on in this clip, but it features Isabela Merced hiding from a Xenomorph, and another peek at the film’s excellent set design. Álvarez hasn’t shied away in interviews from saying he wanted to blend the spaceship interiors of both “Alien” and “Aliens” in his film, and this scene only further demonstrates that. But the scene’s golden lighting and water also harks to “Alien 3,” hinting that “Romulus” may reference other installments in the franchise, too.
Still, not a lot to go on in this clip, other than Merced’s Kay is terrified, and the Xenomorph has ideas for the corpse it drags away. Maybe there’s a hive in the making somewhere on this space station? Audiences find out when “Alien: Romulus” hits theaters on August 16.
Alongside Merced, “Alien: Romulus” also stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu. The ensemble plays a group of young space colonists who encounter a terrifying lifeform while scavenging a derelict space station. Sound familiar? Along with directing, Álavarez co-writes the script with regular collaborator Rodo Sayagues. Ridley Scott and Walter Hill lead producers with Michael Pruss. “Alien: Romulus” is a 20th Century Studios production.
So will this sequel/prequel (interquel?) to one of Hollywood’s most storied sci-fi horror franchises be a late-summer hit in a couple of weeks? It’s hard to bet against “Alien: Romulus” not making some waves (even if, relative to previous summers, they’re more like ripples). Watch the first clip from “Alien: Romulus” below as a sneak-peek before its theatrical release in two weeks.