"Aliens: Romulus" debuts at number 1 dethroning "Deadpool and Wolverine"

August 18, 2024

Courtesy: 20th Century Studios

Millions of fans were eager to see the new saga in the Aliens franchise, the latest science fiction horror film, as Alien: Romulus dethroned Marvel's Deadpool and Wolverine to debut at number 1, with 41 million domestically and 108 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

Deadpool and Wolverine still held on to its bragging rights of being the highest-grossing R-rated movie, adding another 29 million over the weekend, bringing its massive haul to 1.14 billion in just 4 weeks. Disney has much to be happy about as Romulus, distributed by 20th Century Studios, is owned by Walt Disney Studios. This continues Disney's string of successes, starting with Pixar's Inside 2, which also grossed over a billion dollars.

Courtesy: 20th Century Studios

With a budget of $80 million, Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don't Breathe) directed and co-wrote the screenplay for Romulus with Rodo Sayagues Mendez. The film, produced by Scott Free Productions, Ridley Scott, Michael A. Pruss, and Walter Hill, has received critical acclaim. It boasts the highest Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise since "Aliens" (1986), with 83% with critics praising its impressive cinematography, direction, and set designs. The film's domestic opening of 41 million marks the second-highest start of its Alien counterpart, behind "Prometheus" at 51 million.

Alien: Romulus is the seventh installment in the 45-year franchise that began with Ridley Scott's 1979 monster hit "Alien." It follows a group of young space colonizers set between the period of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) who decide to board a derelict space station 20 years after Officer Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her spacecraft crew were first invaded by the terrifying creatures. The crew soon comes face to face with the hostile creatures while scavenging the space station.

Courtesy: 20th Century Studios

The film stars:

• Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla)

• David Jonsson (Industry, Rye Lane)

• Archie Renaux (The Last of US) 

• Isabela Merced (Instant Family, Sicario: Day of the Soldado), 

• Spike Fearn, (Tell Me Everything)

• Aileen Wu (Skin, Closing Doors)

Romulus is easily the best installment of the franchise and stays true to the genre with a healthy dose of gore, terror, suspense, horror, and action sequences that stays true to the franchise with a touch of nostalgia heartening back to Aliens. The fantastic performance by Spaeny and a standout performance by Jonsson, whose tender relationship sold the urgency and terror of encountering aliens and fighting for survival is what blockbusters are made of. Fans will appreciate the digitally recreated Ian Holm, who played a synthetic in the original film.

The final acts of the movie (which will not be spoiled) delivers a pulse-racing, satisfying conclusion (starting with Jonsson's character) and easily sets the direction for the next installment.

Romulus is definitely worth the price of admission, and it is a fantastic addition to the franchise.

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Watch the trailer below:

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Romulus is currently playing now in theaters.