Fede Álvarez won't direct Alien Romulus sequel, stays on as producer

Fede Álvarez, who revived the Alien franchise with 2024's Alien Romulus, said Thursday he will not return to direct the film's sequel, though he remains a producer and co-writer on the project. Speaking at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, Álvarez said the script for the followup is finished and that he and franchise veteran Ridley Scott will produce while the studio searches for a new director.

"We just finished the script, actually, for a sequel for Romulus. But I'm gonna pass the torch on this one as director," Álvarez told TooFab. "I'm going to produce it, with Ridley Scott, we're gonna produce it together, and we're right now trying to find a new filmmaker to come in." He said he and Romulus co-writer Rodo Sayagues wrote the story because they "really love what we started with Romulus," and added that the team wants "to find a director that really wants to go for the jugular."

Álvarez's announcement ends expectations that he would immediately helm the sequel after the commercial success of Alien Romulus, which grossed roughly $350 million worldwide. Some reports put that figure at $351 million. Plot details for the new film remain under wraps and 20th Century...