As the first Alien movie in seven years, Alien: Romulus is already hotly anticipated by the franchise’s many millions of fans – but one other 2024 movie makes the sci-fi horror even more exciting than it would otherwise be. Directed by Fede Álvarez, Alien: Romulus represents an intriguing crossroads for the series – possibly representing a move away from the story established by Ridley Scott’s divisive prequel films and a potential fresh start for the series. Whatever direction the narrative takes, however, other aspects of the production are equally intriguing.

Part of the reason for fan enthusiasm around Alien: Romulus is the credentials of the production crew. Director Álvarez is a horror veteran, having previously helmed the Evil Dead reboot and acclaimed thriller Don’t Breathe. The script has also been co-written by Rodo Sayagues, who previously collaborated with Álvarez on Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe, and Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel, proving that Alien: Romulus already has impressive genre pedigree. However, while the personnel behind the camera are impressive, one 2024 movie proves that the movie’s stars provide plenty of reason to be excited.

Alien: Romulus Star Cailee Spaeny Is Terrific In Civil War

Despite occupying a very different genre, Alex Garland’s Civil War provides a tantalizing glimpse into what fans can expect from Alien: Romulus thanks to the performance of star Cailee Spaeny. The film as a whole has been praised for its provocative subject matter and impressive cinematography and scale on a mid-level budget, but the story lives and dies on the strength of its cast. While stars Wagner Moura and Kirsten Dunst are impressive in the lead roles, it is Spaeny who helps give the story its emotional impact.

As the idealistic aspiring photojournalist Jessie Cullen, Spaeny is an extremely sympathetic and compelling presence. While the more experienced journalists, like Kirsten Dunst’s Lee, can seem almost unnervingly detached from the carnage around them, Jessie is clearly shaken by the horror that surrounds her. She also exhibits clear growth throughout the story, eventually separating her emotions from the job of documenting events, realizing her potential while remaining an empathetic presence. The magnetic and contradictory aspects of this role not only work well within the context of Civil War, but also augur well for Alien: Romulus.

How Cailee Spaeny’s Civil War Performance Can Carry Over To Alien: Romulus

Although the precise nature of her role in Álvarez’s Alien installment is unknown, Cailee Spaeny’s Civil War performance provides an interesting insight into what viewers can expect from Alien: Romulus. In Civil War, Spaeny’s character is a crucial barometer for how conflict shapes and changes people, with her development from an aspirational ideologue to a more critical and composed professional a key theme. Clearly, the circumstances of Civil War and Alien: Romulus are very different. Nevertheless, this growth could be repeated within a different story context.

In Alien: Romulus, Spaeny is set to continue the Alien franchise’s tradition of following a strong female protagonist. Her character, Rain Carradine, is part of a crew of young colonists who come across the xenomorph on a mysterious mission in deep space. From the Alien: Romulus trailer, it’s clear Rain will be one of the last few survivors. It follows that, like Civil War, the film will follow the change from the innocent adventure of youth to the trauma brought by conflict. As a result, Spaeny can use the transformational aspects of Alex Garland’s film as a blueprint for her Romulus performance.

Cailee Spaeny’s Other Movies Make Her Even More Perfect For Alien: Romulus

Given how powerful her performance in Civil War is and the film’s subtle thematic parallels to Alien: Romulus, it’s understandable that many fans are looking to the Alex Garland movie to provide a template. However, while Civil War may inform Spaeny’s role in Alien: Romulus, it is not the only example of a film from her back catalog that bodes well for the upcoming horror. The fact that Spaeny got her breakthrough in the 2018 sci-fi movie Pacific Rim: Uprising, for instance, highlights that she has her own pedigree within the genre.

Beyond Pacific Rim, Spaeny has also featured in thrillers like Bad Times at the El Royal and horror flicks like The Craft: Legacy, both of which emphasize her ability to thrive in tense, atmospheric stories. Alien: Romulus might be a more explicit blend of sci-fi and horror than anything she has done previously. However, the combination of her various similar experiences, alongside her impressive Civil War role, make Cailee Spaeny an exciting choice to lead the next installment of the Alien franchise.