Alien: Romulus Hint Proves Disney’s New Movie Isn’t Disconnected From Ridley Scott’s Prequels After All

Although Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel story has been sidelined, Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez has confirmed that Prometheus and Covenant are not being completely abandoned in his new addition to the franchise. Since the 1979 original, Alien has undergone multiple lore revisions and developments. Some, such as the arrival of the Queen in Aliens, have enhanced the mythology around the saga’s central monster, whereas others have fallen flat. However, while Covenant and Prometheus both made controversial changes to the story, Álvarez has indicated that they won’t be ignored in his movie.

There are many reasons for the controversy around Prometheus and Covenant. Some fans have taken issue with the movies’ changes to the xenomorph’s origin, turning it from a terrifying product of evolution to an artificial bioweapon. Others disliked the films’ aesthetic choices, with Scott seemingly eschewing the iconic “oil rig in space” feel of the first movie for something more polished and less believable. Both issues would give Álvarez a reason to distance himself and start afresh – as FX Alien showrunner Noah Hawley has done. However, in his comments after Alien: Romulus‘ trailer, Álvarez has confirmed a different approach.

Alien: Romulus WILL Have Connections To Ridley Scott’s Prequels

Despite the opportunity to completely shut the door on the prequel series, Álvarez’s comments following Alien: Romulus‘ trailer drop demonstrate his commitment to honor every installment in the franchise. In an interview with THR, the Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe director confirmed:

“Now, if you’ve seen the others, then it’s a completely different experience in a way, because you’ll see and you’ll find those connections with the other movies… it is connected to all of them.

“I love all of those movies. I didn’t want to omit or ignore any of them when it comes to connections at a story level, character level, technology level and creature level. There’s always connections from Alien to Alien: Covenant. “

While not confirming the extent to which Romulus will follow Scott’s story, the comments nonetheless reveal a great deal about the prequels’ status within the Alien franchise. Given Romulus‘ place in the Alien timeline, some had thought that the movie was a subtle way for Disney to retcon Prometheus and Covenant out of existence, paving the way for a new future free from Scott’s David origin story. With this comment, however, Álvarez has seemingly confirmed that, whatever their flaws, Covenant and Prometheus are still an important part of his Alien universe.

Alien: Romulus Is Still A Largely Standalone Story

Álvarez’s explicit acknowledgment of “connections” is even more surprising because of the movie’s previous characterization as a “standalone” Alien story. Although one does not exclude the other, the earlier noise around the movie seemed to suggest a conscious uncoupling from Alien‘s recent past. However, even though Álvarez himself has confirmed that his film will be deeply aware of its place in a wider franchise, the extent to which it will adhere to previous movies’ narratives is less clear. Ultimately, this means that Romulus can nod to other Alien movies, without incorporating their stories.

The Alien: Romulus trailer has already suggested that the movie’s “connections” to Covenant and Prometheus may be more metaphorical than literal. It’s clear, for instance, that the film’s aesthetic is much closer to the design of Alien and Aliens than it is to the prequels, bringing back the retro-future tech that defined the franchise’s first entries. Additionally, there are no returning characters – either from the prequels or previous Alien movies, demonstrating that Alien: Romulus is a true standalone entry. As a result, Romulus can still move away from Scott’s vision without completely destroying the prequels’ legacy.

Alien: Romulus’ Prequel Connections Mean Another Ridley Scott Movie Is Still Possible

While Álvarez’s “connections” acknowledgment doesn’t necessarily mean a continuation of the prequels’ story, it does mean that the book isn’t completely shut on Scott’s return to the franchise at some point. If Alien: Romulus is as standalone as the trailer and previous promotional material have suggested, it’s unlikely that it will introduce major lore revisions that will retcon Prometheus, Covenant, or any other Alien movie. It’s much more likely that Romulus focuses on telling a compelling, self-contained story, without bogging itself down in complicated franchise-building.

If Romulus doesn’t concern itself with the aliens’ origins and humanity’s search for their creators, there is still a potential opportunity for Scott to complete his story. While there are plenty of other obstacles, such as audience interest and Covenant‘s underwhelming box office performance, the door will nonetheless be open for either Scott or another filmmaker to return to the Covenant, David, and Daniels. As a result, Alien: Covenant largely ignoring Ridley Scott’s prequels could benefit both story arcs.