Is ‘Alien: Romulus’ a sequel?

Alien is not only one of the longest-running horror franchises in film history ⏤ it’s also one of the most divisive. The first film is lauded as a feminist horror film, and the sequel, Aliens, was similarly celebrated. However, as the franchise stretched on, there were admitted missteps.

2017’s Alien: Covenant is generally regarded as one of the worst entries to the series despite being helmed by the franchise’s grumpy architect, Ridley Scott. Whether you love it or hate it, Prometheus also garners heated discourse, and now director Fede Álvarez has decided to try his hand at the complex series of films in Alien: Romulus.

Álvarez has previously proven his mettle by taking on the cut classic Evil Dead, the reboot of which he made in 2013 to wide acclaim. Can he do the same with the new Alien film? Perhaps, but that still leaves the question of where the film falls in the continuity of the prolific series.

Is Alien: Romulus a sequel to Alien: Covenant?

The continuity of the Alien franchise is a complicated one, with many films skipping around on the timeline. Aliens takes place over half a century after the first when Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is found in Hypersleep in space. She sleeps for so long that she misses experiencing her daughter’s life. Setting the story in space allows for this flexibility, as well as placing it at any point in the Alien timeline. Álvarez sets the new movie in the canon of the original films, but not following the most recent entry, Alien: Covenant. Instead, it is a direct sequel to Scott’s original film. The director told Variety what went into creating this film so many years after the first.

“[Alien: Romulus] takes 20 years after the first one, and for me, I don’t see it as upsetting the canon. It’s something I take personal pleasure in doing, making sure that it all tracks and is all part of the big “Alien” franchise story — not only in the story but also when it comes to how to make it.”

The Evil Dead director also consulted Scott as well as James Cameron, who helmed Aliens. These two films famously vary in genre; while Alien is a straight horror movie, Aliens veers more into action. But there’s no doubt that they take place in the same universe. Both genres can coexist, which Álvarez took to heart for Alien: Romulus. He wanted to honor both films and incorporate these creations into his sequel, and even if the filmmaking techniques have changed significantly since 1979, the heart of Alien remains the same in this highly anticipated new entry.