Warning: Major spoilers for Alien: Romulus below!
Summary
I was both delighted thatAlien: Romulusconfirmed one of my biggest theories about the franchise, and absolutely let down by its execution. I’ve been a fan of theAlienmovie franchisefor as long as I can recall and outside of 2007’s atrociousAlien Vs Predator: Requiem, I’ve enjoyed them all in their own ways. Part of me will always feel disappointed thatCovenant’sjet black cliffhanger ending will never get resolved. Still, considering the prequel’s tepid response and underperformance (earning $239 million worldwide, viaThe Numbers), a direct sequel was never going to happen.
Producers decided to wipe the slate clean with Fede Álvarez’s latest entry,Romulus. I had a great time with the sequel/midquel, even though it adds little that’s fresh and the amount ofeaster eggs and callbacks gets a little grating. One of the biggest shockers was the film using the likeness and voice of the late, greatIan Holm as Rook,an android who is basically identical toAlien’sAsh. It was a bold choice, but it’s only fitting sinceRomulusalso features the return of the original Xenomorph (AKA “Big Chap”) himself.
I Predicted Alien’s “Big Chap” Survived The Original Movie
My Alien theory is the rare instance of fan theory becoming fan fact
In this 2019 article, I then put forth the idea the original Star Beast could have survived being blasted into space inAlien’sfinale.
In 2019,I wrote aScreen Rantfeature about the quickly forgottenAlien: Isolationweb series, and a new wrinkle it added to the Xenomorph’s lifecycle. This series took the cutscenes from the 2014 video game while adding in a framing device where main character Amanda Ripley is floating amidst the debris of the Sevastopol Station.The final episode reveals the Xenomorphs floating in the wreckage aren’t dead but have gone into a state of hibernationin space. In this article, I put forth the idea the original Star Beast could have survived being blasted into space inAlien’sfinale.
Alien: Isolation TV Series Suggests Ripley Didn’t Kill Original Xenomorph
The Alien: Isolation TV series reveals xenomorphs can survive the vacuum of space, suggesting the original xenomorph may have survived.
It was a logical conclusion to draw, but I never thought a future entry would actually bring back “Big Chap,” as he was affectionally dubbed during the original movie’s production. Cut to 2024,the opening scene ofAlien: Romulusfeatures a Weyland Yutani salvage ship scooping up the creature’s cocoon so they can perform experiments on it. Bringing back the saga’s original creature is such a cool hook, and got me excited to see Big Chap’s comeback - only to be quickly disappointed by his function in the plot.
TheAlien: Isolationvideo game marks the final time (to date) that Sigourney Weaver has played the role of Ellen Ripley.
I Can’t Believe How Badly Alien: Romulus Wasted Big Chap’s Return
Kane’s Son plays an important role in Romulus, just not onscreen
During a big exposition dump, Rook explains toAlien: Romulus' cast of charactersthat the company recovered the body of Xenomorph, which soon awoke and wiped out almost everyone on the station. I was then shocked to see Rook point to the charred remains of Big Chap, with the android revealing the security forces still managed to kill the beast.So, instead of the original Xenomorph serving as the central threat, the “Perfect Organism” was killed offscreenlong before the movie’s heroes even wandered onto the station.
I can’t help but mourn what a waste this is. Big Chap is essentially a MacGuffin that kicksRomulus' narrative into motion, but I wanted to see him back in action. Perhaps Alvarez felt it would be disrespectful to use the same creature, or he didn’t want to distract from the bizarre creature he introduces inAlien: Romulus’finale. Either way, seeing an old theory of mine proving to be on the money, only for it to be a non-event felt quite deflating while watching the movie.
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.
