Alien: Romulus, a critical and commercial success, is already slated for a sequel. However, one aspect widely criticized was the CGI depiction of Ian Holm.
Holm, who passed away in 2020, famously portrayed Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien. His controversial CGI resurrection in Alien: Romulus drew significant negative feedback for its distracting and unrealistic appearance. The poor CGI was so noticeable that a fan edit entirely removed Holm's character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the criticism, acknowledging time constraints during post-production as the reason for the subpar CGI. He confirmed improvements for the home release in an interview with Empire, stating that additional funds were allocated to refine the effects, shifting the focus from heavy CGI to more practical puppetry.
Alien Film Timeline
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Alvarez stated the home release features a significantly improved Holm portrayal. However, fan reactions remain mixed. While some acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find the CGI distracting, with some questioning the necessity of Holm's inclusion in the film altogether. Reddit discussions highlight this ongoing debate, with comments ranging from "Better, but still awfully uncanny" to criticisms of the initial CGI's poor quality. The consensus seems to be that while the home release utilizes more practical effects, the overall result is still unsatisfactory to many viewers.
Despite this criticism, Alien: Romulus's box office success ($350 million globally) has greenlit a sequel, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
