'Alien: Romulus' - How Much Did James Cameron Influence The New Film?
The latest entry in the iconic 'Alien' franchise, 'Alien: Romulus', hits cinemas this week, and the question on many fans' minds is: how involved was 'Aliens' director James Cameron in the creation of this new chapter?
Directed and co-written by Fede Alvarez, 'Alien: Romulus' marks the seventh film in the franchise, following Ridley Scott's original 'Alien' (1979) and Cameron's own 'Aliens' (1986). David Fincher's 'Alien 3' (1992) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 'Alien: Resurrection' (1997) added to the canon, before the 'Alien vs. Predator' series took a detour. The franchise was then revitalised with Scott's prequel 'Prometheus' (2012) and its sequel 'Alien: Covenant' (2017).
With 'Alien: Romulus', Scott returns in a producer capacity, and Cameron's name has been prominent in discussions around the film's development, understandably given the lasting impact 'Aliens' had on the franchise. After all, 'Aliens' received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Sigourney Weaver's iconic portrayal of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, and took home the coveted awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects Editing.
However, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron clarified the extent of his involvement in 'Alien: Romulus'. "I saw a rough cut six months ago, so I'm sure it's changed a lot. And I viewed it once. I gave some notes to [director Fede Ãlvarez]," Cameron explained. "He and I aren't close pals. I mean, I wish him the best with it, but I think it's been overstated that I had some big creative input to that film. I think Ridley [Scott] did because Ridley was an actual producer on the film. So I'm just putting it in perspective."
While Cameron insists his involvement was "overstated", there's no doubt that 'Aliens' profoundly influenced director Fede Alvarez's vision for 'Alien: Romulus'.
Following the release of the first teaser trailer in March, Alvarez revealed to The Hollywood Reporter how a deleted scene from 'Aliens' sparked his inspiration for the film's cast age range. "There's a moment where you see a bunch of kids running [and riding a big wheel] around the corridors of this colony. And I thought, 'Wow, what would it be like for those kids to grow up in a colony that still needs another 50 years to terraform?'" Ãlvarez explained. "So I remember thinking, 'If I ever tell a story in that world, I would definitely be interested in those kids when they reach their early twenties.'"
The cast of 'Alien: Romulus' features a primarily young adult ensemble, including 'Civil War' star Cailee Spaeny, alongside David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.
Fede Alvarez recently told Digital Spy that 'Alien: Romulus' draws inspiration from both Cameron's 'Aliens' and Ridley Scott's 'Alien', stating, "It's kind of the child of both movies combined visually, aesthetically and story-wise." In terms of its place within the 'Alien' timeline, Alvarez revealed that 'Alien: Romulus' takes place approximately 20 years after the first film.
With its 'R' rating, 'Alien: Romulus' is set to scare audiences with previews on Thursday night, before its official release in cinemas nationwide on Friday.
