Alien: Romulus, a critical and box office success, is already slated for a sequel. However, one element consistently criticized was the CGI depiction of Ian Holm.
Holm, who passed away in 2020, famously portrayed Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien. His controversial CGI return in Alien: Romulus drew widespread criticism for its distracting and unrealistic appearance. The effect was so poorly received that a popular fan edit entirely removed his character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, acknowledging time constraints in post-production hindered the CGI's quality. He stated to Empire magazine that he wasn't satisfied with certain shots where the CGI was overly noticeable. He admitted the negative reactions were understandable.
Alien Film Chronological Order
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For the home release, Alvarez implemented improvements, emphasizing practical puppetry over CGI. While some consider this an improvement, many still find the result distracting, and the decision to include Holm remains questionable.
Reddit user u/Davidedby's post comparing the theatrical and home release versions sparked discussion. Comments ranged from "Better, but still awfully uncanny" to criticisms of the decision to use Holm's likeness at all. Many felt the initial CGI was so poor that even the improved version remained unsatisfactory.
Alien Romulus - Rook CGI Updates BluRay vs Digital
by u/Davidedby in LV426
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The home release utilizes tighter camera angles, minimizing the visible CGI. However, the sentiment remains largely negative; many viewers still consider the effect jarring and unnecessary.
Despite the controversy, Alien: Romulus enjoyed significant box office success, grossing $350 million globally. A sequel, Alien: Romulus 2, is currently under consideration by 20th Century Studios, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
