Ridley Scott’s 1 Warning to ‘Alien: Romulus’ Director Fede Álvarez Sounds Hypocritical Given His Own History With the Franchise
- As the original director of 'Alien' franchise, Ridley Scott warned director Fede Álvarez for 'Alien: Romulus,' which seems ironic.
- Scott has provided Álvarez with both guidance and creative freedom and showed faith in his vision.
- 'Alien: Romulus' promises a return to the franchise's original horror roots under the direction of Álvarez.
The Alien franchise is back again with its 7th installment, Alien: Romulus. This time, it is directed by Evil Dead fame Fede Álvarez. Xenomorphs fans can hope for a fresh take on the terrifying creatures along as the original mastermind Ridley Scott is involved as a producer.
Scott is the guy who started it all back in 1979. This time, it looks like he is more protective of his baby, as he has a friendly reminder and warning for the new director.
Ridley Scott’s Collaboration and Warning for Fede Álvarez
Ridley Scott directed the original Alien in 1979 and it was a hit. Audiences were terrified, critics also loved it, and it launched a franchise that is still going on today. But after that initial success, Scott left the franchise and left others to carry forward with the sequels.
Then in 2012, Scott decides to return to the Alien universe with Prometheus. Fans were excited about his return, but the result was mixed at best, as the movie made a lifetime collection of $403.3 million (according to Box Office Mojo) and has a critic rating of 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Then came Alien: Covenant in 2017, which also failed to do any better. The movie has a critic rating of 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it earned around $240.8 million in its lifetime (according to Box Office Mojo). Both films were prequels to Alien and tried to explore the origins of the aliens, but instead of scaring the audience, they left them confused.
Now, as Fede Álvarez has taken over the directorial role in Alien: Romulus, Scott sends him a note to remind him who was the original director, a bit of a warning for Alvarez to not mess up what he started. Álvarez shared the picture of his note on Instagram, which states, “Dear Fede, Good luck. Good health. Good hunting. Don’t f*ck up.”
It is like a mix of pep talk and a friendly warning at once. But the thing here is that Scott himself doesn’t have a great history with the franchise. So, when Scott warns Álvarez not to “f*ck up,” it is hard not to raise an eyebrow.
But despite the warning, both seem to have a pretty solid working relationship. Álvarez has been open about collaborating with Scott on Alien: Romulus. He told the LA Times that he went to Ridley “to debate with him and to have his blessing”. Álvarez was welcoming Scott’s advice and criticism with an open heart.
Guidance and Creative Freedom with Ridley Scott
The Alien franchise has been around for well over 40 years now, and it seems like what it needed was new blood. Being a relative newcomer in the film industry, Fede Álvarez has already been involved with Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe and it is still up to him to try and properly adapt the essence of the Alien franchise.
Scott also seems to recognize this need for new energy. It’s like he is passing the baton to Álvarez, but not without a few warnings. He told the LA Times,
The danger of all franchises is they do die unless somebody suddenly decides to pick up the mat and run down the field with a ball. Fede is a surge of energy, and I had to step back and let him do it.
The plot of Alien: Romulus is set between the events of Alien and Aliens. It will follow a young crew who encounters a xenomorph on a space station. It looks like a return to the claustrophobic horror of the original with a new touch.
As a producer, Scott maintained a balance between guidance and creative freedom. He has offered his advice, but he is also aware of the drawbacks of too much interference. In his LA Times interview, he said
It is hard work with anybody and their mother giving you advice — the last thing you want at a certain point is advice.
Despite his initial warning, Scott seems genuinely excited about Álvarez’s vision. He even hinted at extending the franchise in the future with a belief in Álvarez’s “streak of brilliance.” Looks like Scott has found the right person to breathe new life into the franchise he started.
Alien: Romulus will be released in theaters on August 16, 2024.
Alien is available to stream on Disney+.
