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James Cameron has given us tons of movies that have gone down in the books. However, nothing comes close to the Aliens, a 1986 Sci-Fi classic that’s considered to be one of the best movies in its particular genre.

Call of Duty is one of the most popular shooter franchises. (Image via Microsoft)

Cameron put together a team of the industry’s best actors and minds to bring this movie to the big screen. One of them was Lance Henriksen, who also played a character in Call of Duty, who is despised by every single fan in the franchise.

Lance Henriksen became a video game legend thanks to Call of Duty General Shepherd in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Image via Microsoft)

Lance Henriksen is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. The actor is known for his intense performances, and it’s his skills that allowed the android Bishop...

Art carries with it a reflection of the world. The media we make, whether the times are turbulent or peaceful, shows us who we are, or were, or what could be, and it's almost always political. Science fiction is even more political by nature, as it draws from big ideas about technology and its applications, or arguments about gender and individuality, or how we treat an alien people we barely understand. These concepts are derided by misinformed individuals as 'woke,' as if cultural and social awareness is some disease, but these individuals also like to act as if 'woke' is some recent phenomena. 

Unfortunately, this behavior is generational, as some of science fiction's greatest minds often had to obscure their identity as they were -- gasp! -- female, such as James Tiptree Jr. (Alice Sheldon) or C.J. Cherryh, or numerous people of color, like the Hugo-winning Samuel R. Delany.

The great state of Georgia has been home to an impressive number of film productions, including a number of Marvel Studios movies, but only a very small percentage of those are actually set in Georgia. Instead, the Atlanta streets frequently play the role of New York or Washington D.C., and its wild spaces can be used to represent just about anywhere. 

But what about those movies that actually take place in the beautiful, complicated Peach State? Films as diverse and wonderful as "Magic Mike Xxl" and "Days of Thunder" all have great stretches set in Georgia, but some films go even further and really represent a little slice of the state with most of their runtime. Whether it's Clint Eastwood's genteel Savannah true crime murder mystery "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," having an aca-awesome time with college acapella performers in Atlanta in "Pitch Perfect," or...

After taking a look back at the John Ratzenberger cameo in House II: The Second Story, the beginning of House of 1000 Corpses, the awesomeness of Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight, the leg smashing in the Stephen King adaptation Misery, three separate moments from John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China, the “Jason vs. Tina” battle in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, the “all hell breaks loose” sequence from the start of Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake, the opening sequence of Pitch Black, a cool moment from The Crow, a memorable shark attack from Jaws 2, a creepy moment from Lost Highway, the climactic factory chase sequence from Child’s Play 2, the “Stigmata Martyr” dance scene from Night of the Demons, and the beginning of Strange Days, JoBlo’s own Lance Vlcek is continuing his The Best Scene video series by...

What are the greatest action movies of all time? It’s a controversial question, isn’t it? Any time any publication or site puts out a new list of what they consider the best action movies of all time, it can’t help but generate a ton of controversy. Nevertheless, we here at JoBlo have decided to throw our hats into the ring with a list we really hope generates some nostalgia among our viewers but also encourages them to seek out the movies on this list that they may not have seen. But first, some may wonder where superhero movies are on this list. Given how broad that genre is, we decided to stick to old-school action, so we have left them off the list, as they deserve their own ranking. There are also a few absences from the list, notably some Jackie Chan Hong Kong films (like Police Story...

Three-time Academy Award-nominee Sigourney Weaver is a true legend of the sci-fi genre, having appeared in the likes of Ghostbusters, Avatar, and the first four Alien movies, which she led as the iconic Ellen Ripley prior to the franchise being revived with Ridley Scott's Prometheus in 2012.

Weaver also played the villain in Netflix's The Defenders series, but her Marvel Cinematic Universe stint was short-lived when her character was prematurely killed-off.

Fans have often wondered if Weaver might ever take a trip to the Galaxy Far, Far Away at some point, and last year, the trades reported that she was in talks for a key role in Lucasfilm's The Mandalorian and Grogu.

During a recent interview with Deadline, Weaver confirmed that she had signed on for the movie.

"I’m playing a role in The Mandalorian & Grogu [which will be directed by Jon Favreau]. I got to meet Grogu for the first time the other day.

“Alien: Romulus” director Fede Álvarez said in an interview with Empire magazine that he understands why some viewers reacted negatively to the appearance of late actor Ian Holm in the film. Holm played the android Ash in Ridley Scott’s original “Alien” film and died in 2020 at 88 years old. The actor’s likeness was resurrected in “Romulus” via CGI for a new android character named Rook, but many viewers complained that Rook’s appearance was mostly bad visual effects that looked like a muddled Ian Holm deepfake. Álvarez would seem to agree.

“We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right,” the director admitted to Empire. “I wasn’t 100 percent happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them.”

Álvarez revealed that he corrected Rook’s visual appearance for...

"The Terminator" is one of those unimpeachable sci-fi classics that feels fundamental to the evolution of the genre. As such, it's strange to think of director James Cameron having any specific inspiration, especially considering the impetus for the 1984 movie was as personal as Cameron having a nightmare which included that now famous image of a chrome Terminator exoskeleton emerging from a fire.

Beyond that, "The Terminator" has taken on a sort of mythical aura in the history of cinema. Like Paul McCartney having to verify "Yesterday" didn't already exist before he could accept that he'd written it, the idea for "The Terminator" seems like such a foundational sci-fi concept that it's odd to think there was a time when it didn't exist in the public consciousness. A killer robot is sent back in time to prevent a future war — like all good ideas it's simple without being simplistic and made...

While The Twilight Zone remains the most iconic anthology series of all time, the best Tales from the Crypt episodes stand up well with a very different feeling. Unlike the original anthology series, which focused on morality tales and a look at horrific stories, Tales from the Crypt told its horror tales with a wink and a grin. The main focus of the series, opened each episode by the Crypt Keeper, was to deliver horrific, demonic, and disturbing tales, but always with a look at making horror fans smile with a mix of humor and irony in each episode.

Tales from the Crypt also shares much in common with The Twilight Zone in bringing fans some familiar faces signing on for single episodes and delivering performances they never got the chance to deliver when they appeared in more mainstream movies and television shows. Faces like Demi Moore, Lance Henriksen, Kevin Dillon,...

Because of their wide-ranging, speculative nature, it is not at all uncommon for science fiction movies to inspire sequels, often more than one. The quality of these great sequels, however, has proven to be quite inconsistent. Unfortunately, many subsequent films fail to live up to the quality of the original. On the other hand, though, some sequels offer creative expansions of the worlds established by the films that inspired them, leading to great success both critically and commercially.

Sometimes, sequels are so good that they even manage to overshadow the films that came before them. While it is great that these films receive such high praise and attention, it is a shame that the wonderful films that inspired them fall by the wayside. It is crucial to remember that these were the movies that first introduced audiences to their marvelous new worlds, establishing the settings and characters that would be...

The story of Alien: Romulus sets up the return of another major android in the sequel, and while David is the most-requested one, it isn't him. Ever since it was announced that Alien: Romulus would act as a prequel to Aliens, many franchise fans have been hoping for the return of Michael Fassbender's David, the villain of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Bringing David back in a potential Alien: Romulus sequel seems like the perfect way to tie the two Alien movie series together, but David actually isn't the android most likely to return now.

In Prometheus, David is introduced as a new synthetic model from Weyland-Yutani, with him joining the expedition to locate the Engineers. The events of the film lead David to take a villainous turn, with him using the black goo to decimate the Engineer population in Alien: Covenant. He immediately begins experimenting, with David eventually using...

Movie musicals, as well as those written for the stage, are a divisive genre that not all audiences are going to connect with, but sometimes viewers are drawn in because the story is familiar to begin with. Taking a beloved film and transforming it into a musical can be a great way for fans and newcomers to remember the original work. Additionally, knowing that a large viewer base is going into the production with a knowledge and understanding of the narrative gives the writers and directors the opportunity to take risks and create boundary-pushing song and dance numbers.

There are plenty of non-musical movies with great musical sequences that prove the diversity of stories that can hold up to the weight of songs. Altering the pacing and narrative structure to suit breaks for musical numbers can be difficult, but these projects all have enough action and tension that finding places...

Warning: Spoilers for Alien: Romulus below!The sinister android Rook infiltrated Andy's mind, but did he fully take him over in Alien: Romulus? While 2024's Alien: Romulus was a healthy box office success that received broadly positive reviews (it stands at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes), it received critiques over its excessive number of callbacks. Romulus is filled with Alien easter eggs, with some being extremely on the nose. The most divisive element of the sequel has been the way the late, great Ian Holm was resurrected via CGI as the villainous Rook, who is the same model android as Ash from the original film.

A movie recreating a deceased performer with visual effects has been a sticky issue ever since Rogue One used Peter Cushing's likeness for Moff Tarkin; that said, Romulus' use of Rook makes a certain amount of sense within the Alien movie franchise, considering there must have...

The Alien franchise has vastly expanded since its first movie was released in 1979, exploring numerous different characters set in the Xenomorphs universe. With seven Alien movies, and plenty more releasing soon, including the upcoming TV show Alien: Earth, the Alien franchise has explored many different characters, including the famous Ellen Ripley (played by Sigourney Weaver), with new characters being introduced with each installment. Aliens characters each have their own distinct personality and motivations, whether that be the quest for identity, dealing with loss, or battling Xenomorphs, making them the driving point for the sci-fi franchise.

As a result, characters in the Alien franchise often make more than one appearance in the movies. For example, the first four Alien movies all focused on Ripley and her journey across different planets and situations, with the surrounding cast changing per film. However, the more modern films have rebooted the franchise with a whole new cast list,...

“Nightingale,” an action thriller set against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has pulled the curtain back on its ensemble, casting “Special Ops: Lioness” and “1883” star Lamonica Garrett to lead the picture. Jason Patric, Andrew Howard and Daniel Bernhardt are also starring.

The picture comes from producers Isaac Lewis and Andrew Lewis of Denton Film. Low-budget staple William Kaufman is directing the feature, which recently wrapped principal photography in Bulgaria. Kaufman co-write the script with Paul Reichelt, who also serves as executive producer.

Garrett is best known for his roles on “Sons of Anarchy” and “Designated Survivor.” He stars in “Nightingale” as an American Special Forces Operator and private military contractor, who must balance tending to civilian lives while rescuing his adoptive daughter, who is kidnapped and taken hostage by Russian forces in Ukraine. Patric plays a CIA handler with a shared history with Garrett’s character.

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This November, Hulu is bringing you a lot of entertainment, from the surreal action comedy-drama series Interior Chinatown to the Christmas comedy-drama film Nutcrackers. However, for this article, we only included the films that are coming to Hulu this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 7 best films that are coming to Hulu in November 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Aliens (November 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94% Credit – 20th Century Fox

Aliens is a sci-fi action thriller drama film written and directed by James Cameron. The 1986 film is set in a dystopian future and it follows Ellen Ripley who is sent back to the planet Lv-426 to establish communication with a terraforming colony but when she gets there she is hunted by an Alien Queen who is out for her life. Aliens stars Sigourney Weaver,...

Previously available as a Best Buy exclusive, Scream Factory’s Pumpkinhead SteelBook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray will receive a wide release on December 3.

Orlando Arocena designed the artwork for the 1988 horror film, which was scanned in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision Hdr.

Special effects legend Stan Winston made his directorial debut from a script by Mark Patrick Carducci and Gary Gerani.

Lance Henriksen stars with John D’Aquino, Jeff East, Kerry Remsen, and Tom Woodruff Jr. as Pumpkinhead.

Disc 1 (4K Uhd):

2023 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative In Dolby Vision (Hdr-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-hd Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-hd Master Audio 5.1 Audio Commentary With Co-Writer Gary Gerani And Creature & FX Creators Tom Woodruff Jr. And Alec Gillis, Moderated By Filmmaker Scott Spiegel

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

2023 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-hd Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-hd Master Audio 5.1 Audio Commentary With Co-Writer...

Rotten Tomatoes is an imperfect system. The hugely popular review aggregate website is an oft-misused tool that tries to boil complicated opinions down to whether a film is "good" or "bad." It's also raised viewer expectations to an unhealthy degree; if a movie gets an 80% critical score, for example, plenty of people might choose not to watch it or tell others they "heard it was bad," even though that score ostensibly means that 4 out of 5 critics recommend the title. At its best, the site is an essential resource and a place where pop culture fans can go to find interesting writing and varied opinions on all sorts of visual art. At worst, though, Rotten Tomatoes boils years of artistic labor down to a number.

With all that in mind, it's admittedly pretty hard to argue against a 0% Rotten Tomatoes score. It's the cinematic equivalent of flatlining, and it's also the score given to "Hellraiser: Hellworld,...

Odin’s Eye Entertainment has come on board as international sales agent to “Stealing Pulp Fiction,” an audacious heist comedy from director Danny Turkiewicz. The company will launch it to overseas buyers at the American Film Market that starts in Las Vegas this week.

It had its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Oct. 19. And is set for a U.S. theatrical release in early 2025 through Giant Pictures.

The film follows a group of hopelessly ambitious misfits in their attempt to steal Quentin Tarantino’s personal 35mm print of his iconic film ‘Pulp Fiction.’ But what begins as a simple heist quickly spirals into a chaotic adventure filled with unexpected twists and comedic mishaps.

It stars Karan Soni (“Deadpool 2”), Jason Alexander, Cazzie David and Jon Rudnitsky (“Home Again”).

Adapted from Turkiewicz’s 2020 short film of the same name, “Stealing Pulp Fiction” was produced by Ben Shields Catlin,...

Although Alien 3 remains perhaps the most divisive entry in the Alien movie franchise, one of the film's undoubted strengths is its stellar cast. Alongside series staple Sigourney Weaver, David Fincher's oft-maligned 1992 sequel features the likes of Charles S. Dutton, Pete Postlethwaite, and Lance Henriksen helping to elevate some of the movie's more questionable material. Yet while the final cast remains an imposing collection of acting talent, one casting decision prevented Alien 3 from becoming a reunion for a classic 1987 comedy.

Aside from Ripley herself, perhaps the most important character in the movie is Jonathan Clemens. Portrayed by Charles Dance (famous for his performance as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones) Clemens is a tragic figure haunted by the demons of his past. While his battles with addiction resulted in his incarceration on Fiorina 161, he is an unmistakable ally for Ripley in an overtly hostile environment. However, central though...

Let’s face it – Alien movies are not created equal. In my Alien: Romulus review, I noted that there have really only ever been two flawless films in the franchise, with the rest all having moments of genius (well – most of them) but none measuring up to the first two movies in the saga. All of this makes Alien movie rankings quite controversial, as it’s a divisive topic. So, how does our Alien movies ranked list shape up? Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Alien Vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

I honestly couldn’t believe Fox had the gall to release this as a legit entry into the franchise in 2007. At the time, the studio had a bad reputation for putting out half-baked and cheap genre fare (made even more frustrating by how many were based on top-notch properties). This was the nadir of both the Alien and Predator franchises.

For four films in a row, the timeline of the Alien franchise was very straightforward, with each sequel picking up where the previous movie left off… but then things got a bit more complicated, with the addition of prequels, a mid-quel, and even a couple of crossovers that don’t appear to be canon to the other movies. So we have decided to try to clear up the confusion and put together a list on How to Watch the Alien Franchise in Chronological Order. Here we go…

Alien Vs. Predator (2004)

As mentioned, the Predator crossovers aren’t acknowledged in the Alien films that followed; in fact, the prequels try their best to contradict them. But if you’re looking to watch these movies in an order based on the timeline, this is where you start, because it’s set in 2004 (and the unrated cut has a prologue that takes place...

More Alien vs. Predator movies could be on the way, combining characters from the new subfranchises spawned by Prey and Alien: Romulus. The original crossover franchise between the Alien movies and the Predator movies kicked off with AvP in 2004 and was followed by a sequel subtitled Requiem in 2007. While AvP 3 has so far failed to come to fruition, both franchises are still going strong with the 2022 prequel Prey being followed by Predator: Badlands and 2024's Romulus becoming the second highest-grossing movie in the franchise.

The Hollywood Reporter recently sat down for an interview with 20th Century president Steve Asbell. During their conversation, he touched on the success of both franchises and the possibility of the Alien vs. Predator subfranchise continuing in the wake of their success. In a word, he said a new AvP movie would "probably" happen, though "we haven't gotten to that point." He adds that such...

Alien: Romulus featured the synthetic character of Rook, modeled as a CGI recreation of the late Ian Holm, begging the question of which actors would have been a better choice in the role. Given Alien: Romulus' place on the Alien timeline, it makes in-universe sense to have the likeness of Holm used for the android known as Rook; Alien: Romulus is sandwiched between Alien and Aliens, with Holm's Ash being the main android character used in the former. As such, by the time of Alien: Romulus' climactic ending, it became easier to understand the thought process behind using Holm.

That said, the decision did cause outside criticism due to the fact that Holm passed away in 2020. Although Alien: Romulus is overall considered to be one of the best-ranked Alien movies, Holm's posthumous appearance was controversial due to the arguments over the morality of reviving actors onscreen. While Rook's character...

Horror streaming giant Shudder is pulling out all the stops this October with an unmissable lineup for UK and Irish viewers. From terrifying new original films to the return of the Emmy-nominated The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, Shudder’s October releases will leave horror fans shivering well into the spooky season.

Kicking off the horror fest on 1 October, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Season 666 makes its dramatic return, promising to be the most twisted and ambitious season yet. Expect iconic drag superstars facing off in intense physical challenges, backed by world-renowned directors and actors sitting on the judge’s panel. Every episode of this 10-part season will push boundaries, blending extreme drag and heart-pounding horror like never before.

The chills continue with V/H/S/Beyond, a Shudder Original anthology film streaming from 4 October. This instalment brings together six new twisted tapes, each taking viewers on a terrifying sci-fi-inspired ride. Highlights include “Fur Babies,” a...

While Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens are considered to be two of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, Alien 3 (watch it Here) continues to divide audiences to this day, more than 30 years after it was first released. There are fans who hate it, there are fans who love it, and the film’s director doesn’t even like to talk about it. With the new episode of their new show Lance and Arrow at the Movies, Arrow in the Head founder John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek have decided to revisit Alien 3 and sit down for a debate: is this movie a gem or a cinematic disaster? You can hear what they had to say about it by watching the video embedded above.

Here’s what Lance and Arrow at the Movies is all about: Join hosts The Arrow and Lance as they...

Johnny Depp is returning to Italy. After the last show with his band, Hollywood Vampires (featuring Alice Cooper and Joe Perry from Aerosmith) in 2018 at the Lucca Summer Festival, the actor/musician/filmmaker will be feted with a lifetime achievement honor at the 2024 Rome Film Fest, which runs Oct. 16-27.

Depp will also debut his latest directorial project at the fest: Modi – Three Days on the Wing of Madness, which chronicles the turbulent life of artist Amedeo Modigliani in 1916 Paris. Starring s the film will screen in Rome following its world premiere at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

The Rome honor comes as Depp attempts to put his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard behind him. While his Hollywood career has yet to fully recover from the negative publicity that surrounded the divorce, he remains popular internationally and continues to be embraced by the film community in Europe. In...

James Cameron reflected on being “just a punk” when he directed The Terminator and how, looking back now, he knows it wasn’t perfect.

The Oscar-winning director spoke to Empire magazine ahead of the classic sci-fi film’s 40th anniversary next month and noted he considers the project his first, despite technically getting his first director credit on Piranha II.

“I was just a punk starting out when I directed The Terminator. I think I was 29 at the time, and it was my first directing gig,” he told the publication. “Terminator was my first film, and it’s near and dear for that reason.”

Despite it having a special place in his heart, the Titanic helmer admitted he doesn’t think of it as “some Holy Grail.” He added, “I look at it now, and there are parts of it that are pretty cringeworthy and parts of it that are like,...

A new show hits the air, and you’re hooked, counting down the days until the next season. Then, out of nowhere — Boom! — you find out your favorite show is canceled.

Before the age of streaming, plenty of beloved shows barely made it past one season. The usual culprit? “Low ratings.”

(Fox / Screenshot)

But often, networks were to blame. Maybe they stuck a great show in a terrible time slot or scheduled it against a ratings juggernaut on another network.

Sometimes, the show was too edgy or dark for network bigwigs or too complex for mainstream audiences to embrace right away.

In rare cases, fan campaigns brought a canceled show back for another season, but more often, it was game over.

If streaming had been as big back then as it is now, these shows — and their loyal fans — might have gotten the long run they deserved.

So, what failed...

"Alien 3" is one of the more controversial "Alien" movies. For one thing, the development of the project went through fits and starts. For another, David Fincher, who made his feature directorial debut on the sequel, had notorious behind-the-scenes problems and has more or less disowned the movie entirely. And then there's the fact that the film is unapologetically bleak, including an opening that kills off fan-favorite characters like space Marine Hicks and precocious child Newt. Just to seal the deal, the movie then ends by killing off Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, who was the franchise's main character.

All that said, the film still has its fans. But even when you take into account the fact that "Alien 3" has its supporters, it's not unfair to say the film is flawed and not held in as high regard as Ridley Scott's original "Alien" or James Cameron's blockbuster sequel "Aliens.

[Warning: This story contains major spoilers from Alien: Romulus.]

For sci-fans of a certain age, it was the surprise of the summer.

That would be the reappearance of Ian Holm as a “synthetic” android in Alien: Romulus, a secret held back from the film’s marketing and even its San Diego Comic-Con panel. As Holm died in 2020 at 88, it was also a major undertaking that required permission from the late actor’s estate and a combination of animatronics, CGI and artificial intelligence to complete the illusion.

The result is the most ambitious effort yet at re-animating a deceased actor for a movie. The last significant attempt — and by most accounts the first — was in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which featured the CGI-re-created face of Peter Cushing, who died in 1994, reprising his character Grand Moff Tarkin from the original 1977 Star Wars.

Response to that cameo was negative, with many feeling the technology had failed to...

Director Fede Alvarez pays homage to the original Alien with one plot development in Alien: Romulus. With spoilers, he talks about the work that went into it.

Nb: This is your final warning for a major Alien: Romulus spoiler. If you haven’t seen the film yet, do read one of the many other wonderful things we have on this website.

That’s a long, rambling headline up there, isn’t it? Sorry about that. All we can say in our defence is that some of Alien: Romulus's secrets are worth preserving for the big screen.

If you have seen Alien: Romulus, though, then you will probably have noted that an unexpected face shows up at the end of the first act: it’s Ian Holm – or at any rate an artificial likeness of him – playing a damaged synthetic named Rook. If you haven’t seen 1979’s Alien, you...

The latest installment in the Alien sci-fi horror franchise, Alien: Romulus, has stirred up discussion since its release. While receiving mostly positive reviews and box office success, the film’s use of technology to reimagine the late actor Ian Holm’s famous role has divided opinions. Holm originally portrayed the menacing android Ash in the 1979 Alien film and went on to become one of its most unforgettable elements.

In Alien: Romulus, a new synthetic character named Rook emerges about halfway through that strikingly resembles Holm’s Ash. Some find utilizing advanced CGI and AI to recreate a deceased performer’s likeness crosses ethical lines. They argue it can disrespect an actor’s legacy or mislead viewers. However, those behind the film took steps to honor Holm appropriately.

The director of Alien: Romulus, Fede Álvarez, has defended the choice. Álvarez revealed the idea originated from Ridley Scott, who directed the first Alien and shaped the franchise.

Here be Spoilers for Alien: Romulus, consider yourself warned. The highly anticipated Alien: Romulus is now playing in theaters and is a big success, already grossing over $108 million worldwide. However, the film does contain one surprise character whose presence has proven to be somewhat divisive among audiences.

Related The Spoilers of Alien: Romulus

If you’ve seen Alien: Romulus, you know I’m talking about Rook, a damaged synthetic who happens to be the same model as Ash, the character played by Ian Holm in Ridley Scott’s original movie. Using a combination of animatronics, CG, and deepfake, director Fede Álvarez was able to bring Ian Holm back to the Alien franchise, and he explained a bit of the process while speaking with THR.

“Metaphysic is the company that did a lot of the work on the enhancements to the puppet. We had a puppet that talked, and it was...

[This story contains spoilers for Alien: Romulus.]

Alien: Romulus filmmaker Fede Álvarez has another hit on his hands.

On top of a global opening weekend of $110 million, the Uruguayan writer-director’s ninth installment in the Alien franchise has critics and audiences in increasingly rare alignment, as Romulus boasts the third-highest marks behind 1979’s Alien and 1986’s Aliens. The “interquel” — which takes place 20 years after Ridley Scott’s seminal science-fiction horror film and 37 years before James Cameron’s action-packed sequel — may be well received, critically and commercially, but it still contains a few polarizing moves per the consensus.

Bold choices and big swings can sometimes be deal-breakers for longtime fans of a film franchise, but in the case of Romulus, there are a number of fans who, despite not being fully on board with every creative decision made, aren’t willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater. For example, when David Jonsson’s synthetic character,...

The following post discusses the plot of Alien: Romulus reader discretion is advised

Alien: Romulus has a lot of problems that fans can quibble over. Why are all the characters magical orphans with an Amblin sense of adventure? Why was Caliee Spaney’s robot Andy programmed to look sad? Seeing...

Heavy spoilers for "Alien: Romulus" ahead.

"Alien: Romulus" is a fun, thrilling romp, a love letter to the "Alien" franchise and a movie that pays homage to every single aspect of it (from the good to the not-so-well-received). There are nods and references to every "Alien" project, including Ridley Scott's prequels and the previous sequels.

But as great as it feels to see a proper Xenomorph unleashing chaos and mayhem again, "Romulus" is also a stark reminder that the true monster in the "Alien" franchise has always been the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The Xenomorph may be delivering the killing blow, but it is The Company that is constantly looking for new ways to kill its blue-collar workers.

Then there's that cameo. Without a doubt, the most controversial moment in "Romulus," and also the worst decision director/co-writer Fede Álvarez makes, is bringing back the late Ian Holm as a new synthetic called Rook.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Alien: Romulus.

Androids play various roles in the Alien franchise, showcasing both horror and heroism. Rook in Alien: Romulus shares similarities with Ash from the 1979 original, including his appearance. Not all synthetic beings are programmed the same, with some androids symbolizing Weyland-Yutani's profit-driven threat and others prioritizing human safety over company directives.

Alien: Romulus director Fede Alvarez explains how the movie's abandoned station's Android Rook has closer ties than the audience may initially expect to the events of the original 1979 movie. Set between the events of the original Alien and Aliens, the 2024 sequel tells the story of a group of ambitious young residents of a distant colony world hoping a heist on an abandoned space station may give them a chance to escape to a better life. However, what awaits on board is one of Weyland-Yutani's darkest secrets, dormant but as deadly as ever.

With Alien: Romulus...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Alien: Romulus.

Fede lvarez used Ian Holm's likeness in Alien: Romulus out of fairness, as other actors were brought back to the franchise. lvarez made sure to design a different character with Holm's likeness, rather than attempting to reproduce Ash. Holm's family was on board with the decision, as the late actor felt Hollywood had turned a cold shoulder to him in his later years.

Alien: Romulus director Fede lvarez addresses why his film uses the likeness of the late Ian Holm. In the original Alien film, Holm played Ash, a science officer later revealed to be a synthetic working for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.

While speaking with Variety, lvarez explained why he decided to use Holm's likeness in Alien: Romulus and how he ensured it was done respectfully. Check out his comments below:

It was out of fairness in a way. I felt it...

Spoiler Alert: This article discusses plot points, including the ending of “Alien: Romulus,” now playing in theaters.

When Fede Álvarez decided to make “Alien: Romulus,” he knew from the outset that he wanted to honor not just “Alien” and Aliens,” the most acclaimed and popular films in the series, but its entire mythology. “I was like, ‘we have to embrace them all’,” he tells Variety.

Even so, he built a pivotal part of the “Romulus” story around a character who died in the original movie: Ash, the synthetic human played by the late Ian Holm with chilling obedience to the franchise’s capitalistic overlords, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. After “Alien 3” and “Alien vs. Predator” expanded the life cycle of “Aliens” android Bishop (Lance Henriksen), and Michael Fassbender’s David led both of the prequels, Álvarez says that Holm’s role (or at least his visage) was due for resurrection.

“It...

From the genre-defining classics A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream to such transgressive works as The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes to cult favorites like The People Under the Stairs and The Serpent and the Rainbow, Wes Craven’s reign of terror spanned not only decades but generations.

But there’s much more to the man than just horror movies. In Harker Press’ The Soul of Wes Craven, author Joseph Maddrey allows readers to see the entire person rather than just a collection of his work.

The Soul of Wes Craven is not the first biography on the master of horror, but it is the definitive one. In addition to a profusion of thoroughly-researched sources, Maddrey interviewed over 80 people from Craven’s life — from professional collaborators like Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Alexandre Aja, and Patrick Lussier to family members, friends, and college classmates — for...

Director Fede Álvarez’s contribution to the Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus (you can read our review Here), has only been in theatres for a matter of hours, but it has already stirred up controversy on social media. That’s because one of the film’s cast members has been dead for several years, so Álvarez and his collaborators decided to resurrect them with CGI… and judging by the reactions online, this CGI isn’t exactly convincing. If you don’t want to know who this CGI-resurrected actor is, you should click out of this article now, because there are Spoilers below.

When Alien: Romulus was announced near the start of 2022, it was said that Álvarez pitched the idea to Ridley Scott years ago and it stuck with Scott (apparently mainly due to how Álvarez wanted to deal with androids in the story). So in late 2021, he called Álvarez and asked...

This post contains major spoilers for Alien: Romulus.

It all comes down to Ash—or whatever he is called these days. If the duplicitous android/science officer aboard hadn’t overridden Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) security protocols and allowed the infected Kane (John Hurt) aboard the Nostromo in the original Alien, none of this would have ever happened.

So it makes a certain amount of sense that Ash, one of the Alien franchise’s most insidious monsters, would return in Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus, a movie the director co-wrote with Rodo Sayagues. After all, the new film is determined to tie the whole franchise together, and with the sinister android’s pseudo return comes information that changes the entire saga, fully connecting the mainline films to the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.

Rise of the Prometheus Fire

Ash returns in the form of Rook (a name that itself is...

When you think of an "Alien" movie, you would be forgiven for thinking primarily of...well, you know, of the alien at the center of each story. The people in each film in this long-running franchise may come and go, but we all know who and what the Xenomorph is, and its propensity for killing as many people as possible. But an iconic horror movie bad guy is just one piece of what has made the "Alien" franchise stand the test of time. With the arrival of an all-new entry, the so-called interquel "Alien: Romulus" from genre director Fede Álvarez, let us now consider the 10 best characters in the decade-spanning series.

Be warned, though, this article contains spoilers for "Alien: Romulus" after a certain point (we'll let you know when). Also, you might just be surprised at the top pick.

Read more: The 15 Best Final Girls In Horror Movies Ranked

10. Tennessee,...

Warning: major spoilers for "Alien: Romulus" follow.

In 2016, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" hit theaters with a surprising footnote: one of the film's cast members had actually been dead for 22 years. Using digital technology, the "Star Wars" prequel film was able to resurrect the late Peter Cushing as villain Grand Moff Tarkin (the movie also briefly featured a digitally resurrected Carrie Fisher, who had died that year). From a technical standpoint, the resurrected Cushing was impressive — VFX house Ilm was able to place a digital version of Cushing's face over a live-actor stand-in, and for the most part, it looked believable. But there was an uncomfortable quality to the endeavour, as well as a questionable aspect of the entire idea. To quote "Jurassic Park," "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Why not just cast a new...

If you want to stream all of the movies in the “Alien” franchise, including the “Alien vs. Predator” spinoffs, head over to Hulu.

All eight films, released theatrically by 20th Century Fox (since renamed as 20th Century Studios) are currently on the Disney-owned streamer at the moment.

Ridley Scott’s 1979 original space thriller and James Cameron’s action-packed 1986 sequel and subsequent sequels are variously available on Fubu, FX Now and Max.

Here’s where to stream all the “Alien” movies right now ahead of the release of “Alien: Romulus,” the ninth film in the franchise that opens in theaters on Aug. 16.

20th Century Fox

Alien (1979)

In the first film, the crew of the Nostromo – Ripley, Dallas (Tom Skerritt), Ash (Ian Holm), Kane (John Hurt), Parker (Yaphet Kotto), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) — answer a deep-space distress call that will prove fatal for most of them. Four decades latter,...

Plot: Seeking to escape their grim fate as indentured workers for Weyland-Yutani on a lifeless rock, a group of young colonists scavenge an abandoned space station, only to discover a terrifying secret that threatens to pick them off one by one – or worse.

Review: As far as this critic is concerned, there are two perfect Alien movies: the first and the badass James Cameron sequel. I tend to flip-flop between which one I prefer (it usually depends on the one I saw most recently), but both films are among the most perfectly conceived and executed blockbusters of all time—the sequels, though- well, are a mixed bag at best. There have been interesting ones (Alien 3), terrible ones (Alien: Resurrection and the Avp movies) and frustrating ones (the Ridley Scott prequels), but until now, there have been no outstanding ones. As such, the fact that director Fede Alvarez was able...

Growing up in the 1990s, I had two obsessions: Stephen King and "The X-Files." So when it was revealed that King, the master of horror himself, was going to pen an episode of the cult hit series, I was over the moon. Then I watched the episode. Sadly, King's "X-Files" ep, titled "Chinga," was not great. For one thing, it split-up Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson), which never goes well — the show needs these two working side-by-side, feeding off each other. If you don't believe me, just think about how the show went downhill after Duchovny left for a period, and how worse it got when Anderson started appearing in less episodes as well. For another thing, the story, about a haunted doll that forces people to harm themselves, fails to illicit much emotion. "The X-Files" could be a genuinely scary show, but "Chinga" is almost entirely scare-free,...

Stars: Ami Dolenz, Andrew Robinson, Soleil Moon Frye, J. Trevor Edmond, Hill Harper, Alexander Polinsky, Mark McCracken, Steve Kanaly, Gloria Hendry | Written by Constantine & Ivan Chachornia | Directed by Jeff Burr

Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings was originally released in the UK at a time when I was heavily getting into horror yet was, legally, still too young to rent 18-rated titles from the local video shop (a shop which to this day I credit with the formative years of my movie tastes). It was also at a time when Jeff Burr was being hailed, at least in some corners of the UK and US horror press, as the future of the genre. After all, he had helmed the fan-favourite Vincent Price-starring horror anthology From a Whisper to a Scream and then the very successful sequel The Stepfather 2, before hitting the “big time” as director on the third film in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.

Speaking to Film International in 2004, "Alien" screenwriter Walter Hill revealed the secret of why he decided to name the ill-fated spaceship in the movie "Nostromo" (after the novel by Joseph Conrad): "No particular metaphoric idea," said Hill. "I just thought it sounded good."

"Alien: Romulus" director and co-writer Fede Álvarez had slightly more to say about the significance of "Romulus" in a new interview with SFX magazine. The main action of the film takes place on a derelict space station, the Renaissance, after it drifts into the orbit of a colony world called Jackson's Star. The Renaissance is divided into two sections: one called Romulus, the other called Remus. The names are lifted from the Roman myth of twin brothers who were raised from infancy by a she-wolf. According to the story, Romulus slew his brother, Remus, and founded the city and kingdom of Rome -- named after himself,...