Alien: Romulus director reveals an insane connection to The Last of Us games and show

Alien: Romulus director reveals an insane connection to The Last of Us games and show

As a fan who grew up on the original Alien films and has since become a dedicated gamer, I must say that Alien: Romulus is an absolute triumph! The way it harkens back to the franchise’s horror roots while still appealing to younger audiences who may not have seen the earlier movies is nothing short of genius.


The sci-fi horror film “Romulus,” the latest addition to the “Alien” series, is currently playing in cinemas worldwide and is being hailed as a hit. Directed by Fede Álvarez, known for his work on “Evil Dead,” the movie has grossed over $225 million globally and continues to rake in the profits. According to “Deadline,” it has already earned approximately 94% of what the previous “Alien” film, 2017’s “Alien: Covenant,” made during its entire run, and that movie had a higher production budget. Impressive indeed!

As a passionate gamer, I’ve got to say that what sets “Alien: Romulus” apart for me is its unwavering commitment to the horror essence that this franchise was built on. It’s all about a band of scrappy survivalists who find themselves trapped on an abandoned space station overrun by the terrifying xenomorphs. Director F. Javier Álvarez didn’t go for the complex, meta approach like Ridley Scott did with “Alien: Covenant” or “Prometheus”. Instead, he delivered a narrative that feels more in sync with the original “Alien” films. Given that many young moviegoers today missed out on watching the initial “Alien” movies in cinemas, it’s clear that “Romulus” is expanding the franchise in a substantial way.

It’s clear that Álvarez and his team hold a deep affection for the Alien series, as evidenced by Romulus. The film is rich with Easter eggs, ranging from large references to subtle ones, and it connects to numerous other movies in the series. However, the Alien series wasn’t the only source of inspiration for Álvarez when creating Romulus. Following a fan’s question on Twitter about whether Álvarez had played The Last of Us, the director admitted not only had he played it but also revealed an unexpected link between The Last of Us and Alien: Romulus. [Mild spoilers follow for both Romulus and The Last of Us Part II.]

Isabela Merced’s Alien: Romulus character was inspired by Dina from The Last of Us

“Fun fact: I was playing The Last of Us Part II while writing Alien: Romulus,” Álvarez wrote. “The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too. Then I cast Isabela Merced to play Kay… A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show… True story.”

In the film “Alien: Romulus”, the role portrayed by Merced is a character named Kay who is pregnant. This pregnancy situation, given the terrifying nature of the “Alien” series, unfolds as one might anticipate. Interestingly, there are similarities between Kay and another character called Dina, such as her attempts to hide her relationship with the father from the other characters. While watching Merced in the movie, I was frequently reminded of Dina, making it quite intriguing to learn that Álvarez has confirmed that Kay was indeed inspired by Dina.

According to Álvarez, Merced has been chosen to portray the same character in season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of Us” series. Remarkably, this character is akin to the one that inspired her role in “Alien: Romulus.” It’s quite fascinating how these roles have synchronized. Filming for “The Last of Us” season 2 appears to have wrapped up last week, so we can expect to see Merced as Dina sometime in 2025.

It’s plausible that other aspects of the movie “Alien: Romulus” might have been influenced by Álvarez’s experience playing “The Last of Us Part II”, but the director isn’t revealing anything about it. A fan noticed that a character, Navarro (portrayed by Aileen Wu), looks very much like a character from “The Last of Us Part II” named Lev. Álvarez didn’t respond directly to this observation, leaving the fan feeling like they might have uncovered something significant, just as in the SNL Papyrus sketch where Kyle Mooney, excitedly closes the blinds on a rain-soaked Ryan Gosling, exclaiming, “I know what you did!”

Regardless of whether Navarro was influenced by Lev or not, it’s still fascinating to learn about potential links between “Alien: Romulus” and “The Last of Us”. In addition, the character of Lev in “The Last of Us Part II” was modeled after a character named Lev from “City of Thieves”, a novel written by David Benioff, who is also the showrunner for “Game of Thrones”. This intricate web of inspiration among artists only adds to the richness of the content we enjoy!

The science fiction film, titled “Alien: Romulus,” is currently playing in cinemas. You have the opportunity to watch Isabela Merced as Kay and anticipate her portrayal of Dina in the upcoming season 2 of “The Last of Us.”

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2024-08-26 19:41

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