Alien: Romulus looks like the “scariest Alien movie since the original”

Daisy Phillipson
Still from Alien: Romulus

The first teaser trailer for Alien: Romulus has arrived, and it’s delightfully horrific, with fans saying it looks like “the scariest Alien movie since the original.”

Today, March 20, 20th Century Studios delivered the first proper look at Alien: Romulus, promising to bring the franchise back to its roots with a horror-led follow-up to Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic. In the teaser, we see the young cast in a claustrophobic environment as they battle it out against the terrifying Xenomorphs.

Although there’s no chest-bursting, there’s an equally grisly throat-bursting scene, as well as a blood-soaked bunker, interstellar explosions, and plenty of screaming. While there are plenty of horror movies to be excited about in 2024, Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus has fans particularly hyped.

“I have chills right now,” said one on X. “Expected nothing less, but Alien: Romulus looks like it could be the scariest Alien film since the original. Fede nailed it.”

“Ok, this looking freaking good. The tension, the scenes with no faces, just the environment and sound… It was immersive,” said another, while a third added, “I’m def watching this, I love Alien. The isolated horror aspect with the Xenomorph in a enclosed area is always the best.”

New Alien movie praised by fans for “genius” marketing

Alien: Romulus was already receiving praise this week before the new teaser trailer thanks to its “genius” marketing. 

Taking to X yesterday (March 19), director Alvarez shared what appeared to be a blank image with the word “tomorrow” on it. However, a number of eagle-eyed fans pointed out that if you raise the exposure on the pic, it reveals a teeth-snarling Xenomorph.

Filmmaker Chris Pugh shared the side-by-side stills, writing: “The fact that this image actually has a Xenomorph hidden if you boost the exposure is honestly genius. #AlienRomulus.”

Others shared similar praise for the movie’s marketing ploy, with one responding, “I miss stuff like this for movies. The hidden message in the waveform of The Dark Knight Rises was amazing.”

“Just did it myself to test. That’s incredible,” said another, while a third added, “There is a Xenomorph hidden in the pic? Alien fans finally getting something good after so many years.”

When is the Alien: Romulus release date?

Alien: Romulus drops in cinemas on August 16, 2024. With Disney as its distributor, it was originally set to premiere exclusively on Hulu in the US, but this was changed to give the movie a theatrical release. 

Don’t Breathe director Alvarez is helming the project, which is set to take place between Ridley Scott’s original 1979 horror classic and James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, Aliens. 

The plot will follow a group of young space travelers who find themselves up against the most terrifying life form in the universe – aka, the Xenomorph.

Among the young cast are Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.

You can keep up to date with everything Alien: Romulus related here. Until then, check out all the best movies hitting streaming this month, and you can also see which TV shows to add to your watchlist in March

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About The Author

Daisy is a Senior TV and Movies Writer at Dexerto. She's a lover of all things macabre, whether that be horror, crime, psychological thrillers or all of the above. After graduating with a Masters in Magazine Journalism, she's gone on to write for Digital Spy, LADbible and Little White Lies. You can contact her on daisy.phillipson@dexerto.com