Fede Álvarez’s newest addition to the legendary Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus, has made a stunning debut, exceeding expectations and claiming the top spot at the domestic box office.
Released on August 16, the film earned $45.1 million in its opening weekend, marking the second highest debut in the series’ history.
Internationally, Alien: Romulus also performed impressively, generating $66.7 million from overseas markets and bringing its global total to a remarkable $108.2 million.
This latest chapter in the enduring Alien saga features a cast including Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, and Spike Fearn. With an 82 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has been well-received by reviewers.
Set between Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien and James Cameron’s 1986 sequel Aliens, Romulus introduces a fresh narrative to the franchise.
The story centers on a group of colonists who discover a devastated space station and soon find themselves under attack by the franchise’s infamous alien creatures.
Originally planned for a Hulu release, Alien: Romulus was instead released in theaters—a decision that director Álvarez elaborated on with Variety.
“That decision was made not when theaters were in a strong position,” Álvarez noted.
“But it was always intended to be an ambitious film for the streaming platform.” He reminisced about the excitement surrounding the film’s theatrical release, sharing, “I remember announcing that the movie would be in theaters, and there was a big cheer.”
