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 iconic Alien. His controversial CGI return in Alien: Romulus drew heavy criticism for being distracting and unrealistic, prompting a popular fan edit to entirely remove his character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, acknowledging time constraints during post-production hindered the CGI quality. He stated in an Empire interview that the initial release suffered from noticeable CGI intervention. He subsequently secured funding for improvements to the home release.
Alien Film Timeline
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For the home release, Alvarez implemented significant improvements, shifting towards more practical puppetry and reducing the reliance on CGI. While some improvements are noted, many viewers still find Holm's appearance distracting, with ongoing debate regarding the necessity of his inclusion.
A Reddit thread (u/Davidedby in LV426) showcases comparisons, revealing that the home release utilizes more practical effects, minimizing the overt CGI. However, comments range from noting slight improvements to expressing continued dissatisfaction with the overall effect and questioning the decision to include Holm. Examples include comments such as "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason," and "Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie…"
Despite the persistent criticism, Alien: Romulus's box office success ($350 million globally) has spurred development of Alien: Romulus 2, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
