When does ‘Alien: Romulus’ take place?

The latest entry in the unforgettable horror franchise is certainly packed full of punches, spooks, and fear, and die-hard fans are still curious to learn where exactly the plot fits in with the rest of the film series. And, trust us, the excitement has definitely been worth the wait with this chapter.

We’ve already had prequels and sequels that give a decent enough beginning and end, therefore setting an Alien film at either end of the timeline probably wouldn’t work, so that leaves us with the time in between. An interquel is both a sequel and prequel, as the name suggests, it takes place in a period between two movies. But as knowledgable as we feel on the matter, let’s properly dive in and explain where Romulus takes place in the epic Alien universe.

Which two movies does Alien: Romulus take place between?

There are a lot of not-so-great Alien films, but thankfully Romulus takes place between two of the best. Speaking with Variety, Álvarez confirmed that the film would be set 20 years after the events of the original film. This would put it about 40 years before the sequel, Aliens. 

Diving further in, the opening scene of Romulus happens on Feb. 9, 2142, and includes the rescue of the Xenomorph and outlines events that occurred in the first movie. From there, the rest of the film’s plot takes place 170 days later, still happening before the sequel.