Alien: Romulus has an unexpected Alien crossover

As a seasoned gamer and long-time fan of the Alien franchise, I must say that Alien: Romulus has truly outdone itself by weaving together a tapestry of connections to its predecessors that left me utterly astounded. The revelation that Rook, the decommissioned station’s science officer, is none other than a digital recreation of Ash from the original Alien was nothing short of genius.

Alien: Romulus spoilers follow.

Prior to the debut of Alien: Romulus, it was understood that the film would take place 20 years after the original Alien, yet the extent to which it would link directly to Ridley Scott’s classic wasn’t yet clear.

Based on director and co-writer Fede Alvarez’s statements, it was evident that Alien: Romulus would surely honor the entire Alien franchise. However, it appeared improbable that there would be any connection since it was focusing on a completely fresh set of characters in a new environment.

How wrong we were.

In a significant cross-over, it is soon uncovered that the Romulus spacecraft shares a connection with the Alien universe, as a fresh batch of Xenomorph victims unexpectedly find themselves on what appears to be an idle Renaissance-era station.

But to go into it and explain how it came about, we need to go into major spoilers, so look away now if you haven’t seen Alien: Romulus yet.

Alien: Romulus has an unexpected Alien crossover

Who’s playing Rook in Alien: Romulus?

While Andy, Tyler, and Bjorn are on a quest to find fuel for the cryo pods, they stumble upon the scattered remains of the synthetic science officer from the Renaissance, named Rook.

Initially, the appearance of Rook remains unknown, and it is first utilized to enhance Andy’s chip for increased security clearance. Later, after a facehugger assault, Andy connects Rook to gather information to help them navigate through the predicament they encounter.

Upon starting up, it becomes evident that Rook shares a striking resemblance with Ash from the movie “Alien,” implying that they both belong to the same synthetic model.

Sadly, Ian Holm passed away in 2020 prior to the start of ‘Alien: Romulus’, leading to another instance where digital recreation is utilized, similar to Peter Cushing in ‘Rogue One’ and Harold Ramis in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’.

In this scenario, Holm served as a model for the facial and vocal characteristics of the character Rook. The British actor Daniel Betts, known for his roles in shows such as “Sex Education” and “The Crown,” was responsible for delivering both the facial expressions and the voice for the role.

Alien: Romulus has an unexpected Alien crossover

I’ve encountered Ash before, not just in our recent encounter, but also in the critically acclaimed video game, Alien: Isolation.

In that particular game, featuring Ash through voice logs, Holm was unavailable to show up personally, yet granted permission for his image to be utilized. Dave B Mitchell stepped in to lend his voice for Ash’s character in the game instead.

After Rook is restarted within the Alien: Romulus setting, he further uncovers a significant link between Alien that was previously unknown.

The station shut down due to the discovery of the authentic Xenomorph from the movie “Alien.” Ejected into space by Ripley, it was enclosed within an asteroid, leading them to believe it was deceased. However, they were sorely mistaken as it proved to be far from lifeless.

Alien: Romulus has an unexpected Alien crossover

Upon regaining consciousness, the Xenomorph caused chaos throughout the Renaissance outpost, continuing its destructive rampage until it met its end through being fatally shot.

Rook successfully conducted experiments involving the Xenomorph creature, recovering the dark substance seen in the movie ‘Prometheus’ as a supposed blessing for mankind, aimed at enhancing human strength.

In the story of “Alien: Romulus”, Rook assumes a significant position, tasking Andy with carrying out the assignment and returning the Prometheus facility to the Weyland-Yutani settlement on Jackson’s Star.

In a manner that would impress Ash, it results in Rook skillfully persuading Andy to prioritize the company’s interests above those of his friends.

It might not be Ash, but you absolutely tell it’s the same model.

For more on Alien: Romulus, check out:

1. Length of the movie “Alien: Romulus”

Alien: Romulus is out now in cinemas.

2024-08-16 15:20

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