Alien: Romulus, a critical and box office success, has already spurred a sequel. However, one element drew near-universal criticism: the CGI depiction of Ian Holm.
Holm, who passed away in 2020, famously portrayed the android Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien. His controversial CGI return in Alien: Romulus was widely criticized as distracting and unrealistic, prompting a popular fan edit to completely remove his character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, acknowledging time constraints in post-production hindered the CGI's quality. He stated to Empire magazine that the home release features improvements: "We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right...So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them." These improvements, he explained, involved shifting towards more practical puppetry and refining the CGI.
Alien Film Timeline
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Alvarez confirmed that the home release features a significantly improved version. The focus shifted to puppetry, minimizing the overt CGI. However, fan reactions remain mixed. While some acknowledge improvement, many still find the portrayal distracting, questioning the necessity of Holm's inclusion altogether.
Reddit user u/Davidedby's comparison of the Blu-ray and digital versions highlights the changes. Comments range from "Better, but still awfully uncanny" to criticisms of the initial decision to include the character.
Despite the ongoing debate surrounding the CGI, Alien: Romulus enjoyed considerable success, grossing $350 million globally. A sequel, Alien: Romulus 2, is currently under consideration at 20th Century Studios, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
