Alien: Romulus has a lot to prove when it comes to drawing from the sci-fi franchise’s body of work to produce a film worth another go-around. Fortunately, the director Fede Alvarez appears to have done his homework and a bit of extra credit pulling from the series’ 2014 sleeper-hit video game as well.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, Alvarez revealed that playing Alien: Isolation while filming Don’t Breathe inspired him to make a horror film as terrifying as the atmospheric first-person horror game.
“Alien: Isolation was kind of what made me see that Alien could truly be terrifying and done well [today],” Alvarez told GamesRadar+. “That’s why, at the time, I was like, ‘Fuck, if I could do anything, I would love to do Alien and scare the audience again with that creature and those environments.’ I was playing, and realizing how terrifying Alien could be if you take it back to that tone.”
Alvarez wasn’t just inspired by Alien: Isolation’s tone, he also lifted the game’s visual clues to build suspense and dread for moviegoers. As GamesRadar+ notes, Alien: Isolation has not-so-safe save points in the form of an emergency phone. Instead of providing players safe harbor to panic-save their progress, players are instead greeted with an excruciatingly slow operating time on the phone, leaving them vulnerable to surprise Xenomorph attacks. In layman’s terms, whenever phones appear in Alien: Isolation, gamers reflexively sit forward in their chairs in fear of something untoward happening to their virtual person.
“The movie is set up in a way [that] every time something bad is about to happen, you will see a phone,” Alvarez said. “In the game, every time you knew there’s a phone you’d go, ‘Fuck, I’m about to go into some bad set-piece.’ It’s the same thing here. You’ll see they’re planted strategically throughout the film. When you see the phone, it’s like: brace for impact.”
If Alien: Romulus’ first reactions are anything to go off of, Alvarez knocked it out of the park by playing the series’ hits while also injecting his own flair for ominous practical effects—and gamer know-how, to boot. Alien: Romulus opens August 16.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
AlienAlien: IsolationAlien: RomulusFede Alvarez
If you like your Alien slimy, but satisfying, it sounds like you'll have a good time with Romulus.
The legendary Alien director was careful to give Alien: Romulus director Fede Alvarez plenty of space.
Director Fede Alvarez explained why his new film is set between the classics by Ridley Scott and James Cameron.
Plus, Michael Keaton gets his bardic inspiration flowing in new footage from Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
Plus, National Treasure 3 screenwriter Ted Elliot talks about what could become if the sequel ever happens.
Plus, Neve Campbell discusses why she signed back up for Scream 7.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.©2024 GIZMODO USA LLC. All rights reserved.
Mode
Follow us
Mode
Follow us
Source: Gizmodo