Alien: Romulus' Reveals Unexpected Video Game DNA

Fede Álvarez, the director of the recently released sci-fi horror film “Alien: Romulus,” drew inspiration from several popular video games while creating his contribution to the long-running Alien franchise. In social media posts, Álvarez revealed that games like “The Last of Us Part II” and “Alien: Isolation” influenced both the characters and atmosphere in his movie.

The screenplay for “Alien: Romulus” took shape as Álvarez played “The Last of Us Part II.” He was moved by the story of a pregnant character named Dina, which led Álvarez to make one of his central characters, Kay played by Isabela Merced, also pregnant. Coincidentally, Merced was later cast to play Dina in the television adaptation of “The Last of Us.” Álvarez called this connection “a true story.”

Observant moviegoers also noticed similarities between actress Cailee Spaeny’s appearance in “Alien: Romulus” and the character Ellie from “The Last of Us” games. Álvarez confirmed he deliberately aimed to capture the intense, gritty tone of the beloved survival games.

Álvarez said playing “Alien: Isolation,” praised for its recreation of tension from the original “Alien” movie, helped him realize the potential to return the franchise to its survival horror roots. This shone through in concrete ways, like incorporating emergency phones from the game to build suspense.

“Alien: Romulus” follows young space colonizers encountering the franchise’s signature alien threat. Through contemporary gaming influences, Álvarez tried to appeal to both longtime fans and newer audiences familiar with recent popular survival games. As crossover grows between movies, TV, and video games, “Alien: Romulus” represents how these storytelling mediums can inspire each other.

With the second season of “The Last of Us” series premiering in 2025, audiences will see Isabela Merced portray Dina and observe this interconnected web of creative works in more detail.