Fede Álvarez has wrapped a script for the sequel to “Alien: Romulus,” but — surprise— Álvarez won’t be directing this time around. He was supposed to helm the project, but he’s instead passing the baton this time around.
“We just finished the script for a sequel … but I’m gonna pass the torch on this one as director,” Álvarez told TooFab at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
Álvarez will stay on as producer alongside Ridley Scott, while a new filmmaker is being sought to take the reins for the fall shoot. “I think that’s usually what has happened, except for Ridley. Filmmakers come, you make one, and you pass the baton,” Álvarez said.
He emphasized that he wanted to continue the Romulus storyline but is leaving the execution to someone else: “We love the story, and now we just want to find a director that really wants to go for the jugular.”
Instead, Álvarez will focus on an original project he co-wrote with Sayagues, which he described only as something that’s been “on the back burner for a while.”
“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. Caillee 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.