Alien: Romulus, a critical and commercial success, has already greenlit a sequel. However, one aspect universally criticized was the CGI depiction of Ian Holm.
Holm, who passed away in 2020, famously portrayed the android Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien. His controversial CGI return in Alien: Romulus was widely deemed distracting and unrealistic, prompting a popular fan edit to entirely remove his character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the criticism, stating in an Empire interview that post-production time constraints hampered the CGI quality. He acknowledged viewer dissatisfaction and admitted to being less than fully satisfied with certain shots.
Alien Film Timeline
9 Images
For the home release, Alvarez implemented improvements, allocating additional resources to refine the CGI. The revised version incorporates more practical puppetry, reducing the reliance on CGI facial features.
However, fan reactions remain mixed. While some acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find Holm's appearance distracting, questioning the necessity of his inclusion. Reddit discussions highlight this ongoing debate, with comments ranging from "Better, but still awfully uncanny" to "Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie."
The updated home release utilizes camera angles that showcase more of the practical effects, minimizing the prominence of the CGI face. Despite the improvements, the fundamental criticism persists: the resurrection of a deceased actor via CGI is deemed unnecessary and poorly executed.
Despite the controversy, Alien: Romulus achieved significant box office success, grossing $350 million globally. A sequel, Alien: Romulus 2, is in development at 20th Century Studios, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
