The production tracking service, Film & Television Industry Alliance (FTIA) updated their information about the latest Alien film as of December 19, according to JoBlo, and it tells us a few things.
First, Fede Alvarez will direct and Ridley Scott will produce. Second, the film will start shooting on February 6 in Budapest. Also, in what was originally only speculation, Cailee Spaeny will star according to the info log.
Back in March of this year, it was speculated that a new Alien one-off was being tossed around as a direct-to-Hulu release. ‘Romulus’ is that movie.
In an exclusive story by the Hollywood Reporter division president Steve Asbell said, 20th Century jumped on the project, “purely off the strength of Fede’s pitch.” He then added, “It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.”
As for it being a Hulu exclusive, “It’s not a film that has to be all things to all people with those gargantuan budgets,” Asbell contends. “They get to be authentically what they are. And this is closer to its genre roots.”
Hulu took a risk this year with another sci-fi horror franchise, Predator, for their stand alone entry called Prey, and it paid off both with critics and fans. With streamers becoming the new medium for first-run movies, it’s not too far-fetched that an Alien movie would premiere on one.
But Hulu isn’t regarded as being one of the hard hitters. Still they are owned by Disney and Disney owns 20th Century now, so this deal makes more sense.
On the other hand, the Sam Raimi produced Evil Dead Rise was supposed to be an HBO Max exclusive, but test audiences lauded the film and execs turned tail on the streaming only aspect, giving it a theatrical release instead.
Speaking of Deadites, Alien: Romulus will be directed by Fede Alvarez who is well-known for helming both Don’t Breathe (2016) and The Evil Dead 2013 remake.
This is a developing story and we will keep you updated as info becomes available.
