‘Alien Romulus’ — Isabela Merced Was in Awe of the Xenomorphs

The big picture

• Alien: Romulus
  brings practical effects and xenomorphs, with Isabela Merced in awe of the terrifying creatures.
• The film has a similar tone to
  Alien: Isolation
  promising a claustrophobic and dark experience for fans.
• Director Fede Alvarez's passion for the franchise shines through, creating
  Alien: Romulus
  an exciting addition to the series.

Like the rumor of the next movie Alien: Romulus begins to build, one of its stars, Isabela Mercè, has been shedding some light on the new addition to the alien franchise, highlighting the film's return to the series' practical effects roots and the unique experience of working under the direction of Fede Alvarez. Speaking to Collider's Cristina Rave while promoting his new film, Turtles all the way downMerced shared intriguing details about the production and his role in the next chapter of the iconic sci-fi horror saga, and expressed his enthusiasm for the project, especially the commitment to practical effects.

“The Legacy team helped us a lot with this. I was surrounded by professionals. The interesting thing is that it was set up for streaming until mid-shoot. Because Fede Alvarez is the nerdy fan he is.
alien
, was really guaranteeing this movie. He actually cut the teaser trailer himself, which is very rare. Studios usually take care of this. So I think it was an absolute honor. I learned a lot. Shout out to the crew in Budapest. They were incredible. They were top notch, for sure.”

Isabela Merced is in Awe of the Xenomorphs

When asked about the highlights of her experience on set, Merced recalled the awe-inspiring moment when she encountered the iconic Xenomorphs for the first time: “I definitely saw the Xeno for the first time. They used a robot for that. And they also used a human, like a really tall person, with the costumes and the special effects. We had two Xenos on set, at all times, and they were terrifying,” he said.

“The detail is amazing. I love the Xeno nails. That's my favorite part, the chrome nails. I'm going to get chrome nails for the premiere. You'll see me with them everywhere. They were amazing.”

“Alien: Romulus” is similar to “Alien: Isolation”

Regarding how Alien: Romulus Fits within the storied history of the franchise, Merced scoffed, “Well, technically it's 1.5. Oh my God, I don't even know what to say.” He elaborated more on the tone of the film, drawing parallels with fan expectations and reactions, and intriguingly suggested that the tone would be similar to Alien: Isolation, the acclaimed video game that wrecked nerves.

“Yeah. I saw a lot of fan reactions to the teaser trailer and a lot of people said they remembered them
Alien: Isolation
if it were a movie, because it's a game. So I would say it's very claustrophobic, it's very dark, and it's very authentic to the first one. It is paid a lot of respect and due to the original. You have a family feeling of loyalty and care for this group of people. On the plus side, we really care for each other and have stayed in touch and are very important to each other.”

If Álvarez sticks the landing, Alien: Romulus promises to be a thrilling and claustrophobic journey that honors the legacy of Ridley Scott's original masterpiece while injecting its own unique flavor into the beloved franchise. Alien: Romulus opens August 16.