How Playing ‘Alien: Isolation’ Inspired Fede Alvarez to Create ‘Alien: Romulus’

The 2014 survival horror game ‘Alien: Isolation’ played a significant role in shaping the vision for the latest installment in the ‘Alien’ franchise, ‘Alien: Romulus’. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film aims to return the series to its horror roots, drawing inspiration not only from Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’ and James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’ but also from Creative Assembly’s intense survival game.

During an episode of the ‘Inside Total Film’ podcast, Alvarez discussed how ‘Alien: Isolation’ influenced both his approach to the film’s tone and its specific elements. He recalled that playing the game made him realize the potential for ‘Alien’ to be terrifying again in a modern context. The game’s ability to create a deeply unsettling atmosphere inspired him to envision a film that could similarly scare audiences. Alvarez noted, “‘Alien: Isolation’ was kind of what made me see that ‘Alien’ could truly be terrifying and done well today.”

Image Courtesy: IMDb

This influence extended beyond just the tone of the movie. Alvarez incorporated elements from the game directly into the film. For instance, fans of ‘Alien: Isolation’ might notice the Emergency Phone kiosk featured in the first behind-the-scenes images from the set of ‘Alien: Romulus’. 

In the game, these kiosks serve as save points and often signal an impending encounter with the deadly alien. Alvarez cleverly integrated this idea into the movie, using phones as a visual cue for upcoming danger. 

Image Courtesy: Bloody Disgusting

He explained, “The movie is set up in a way that every time something bad is about to happen, you will see a phone. In the game, every time you knew there’s a phone you’d go, ‘F***, I’m about to go into some bad set-piece.’ It’s the same thing here. You’ll see they’re planted strategically throughout the film. When you see the phone, it’s like: brace for impact.”

–Farheen Ali