Fede Alvarez’s ‘Alien: Romulus’ Sequel Shoots in October

Things are moving fast—maybe too fast—on the “Alien: Romulus” sequel.

Director Fede Álvarez is telling the Marea Nocturna podcast that not only is he in pre-production on the film, but he plans to start shooting the sequel in October.

This isn’t entirely out of the blue. Last fall, just months after ‘Romulus’ hit theaters, 20th Century Studios chief Steve Asbell revealed that a sequel was already underway, with Álvarez, and his actors—Cailee Spaeny, and David Jonsson— all set to return. Still, few expected development to ramp up this quickly.

It makes sense, though. “Alien: Romulus,” a back-to-basics revival that echoed the structure of Ridley Scott’s 1979 original, was a surprise hit, grossing $350M worldwide on a relatively modest $80M budget. Spaeny’s performance as Rain, a modern-day Ripley of sorts, was one of the film’s standout elements and likely a key factor in fast-tracking the sequel.

No story details have emerged yet about the ‘Romulus’ sequel, but according to TheInSneider, there’s a development quietly gaining traction: Predator might be making an appearance. If true, it would mark the first Alien/Predator crossover in nearly two decades.

With Álvarez already deep in pre production and cameras rolling by the fall, it looks like the Alien franchise isn’t just alive—it’s accelerating. I wouldn’t be surprised if the sequels gets released next year.

This latest news arrives the same week Alien creator Ridley Scott publicly stated he’s finished directing entries in the franchise. According to Scott, the series experienced a creative “deadening” after the first three films—implying his time has officially run its course.