*Alien: Romulus* was a smashing hit with both critics and fans, raking in a stellar $350 million at the global box office. This success has not only revitalized the franchise but also set the stage for a sequel, *Alien: Romulus 2*, which 20th Century Studios is actively developing. However, one element of the film that received widespread criticism was the CGI portrayal of the late Ian Holm, who reprised his iconic role as the android Ash from Ridley Scott's original *Alien*. The CGI was so poorly received that a popular fan-edit removed Holm's character entirely.
Director Fede Alvarez acknowledged the CGI issues in an interview with Empire, stating, "We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right. I wasn’t 100% happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them." In response to the backlash, Alvarez and the team worked on improving the CGI for the home release. "We fixed it. We made it better for the release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better," Alvarez insisted.
For the home release, the approach shifted more towards practical puppet work, reducing the reliance on CGI. However, fans remain divided on whether the changes truly improved the film. Some, like Kwtwo1983 on Reddit, felt it was "better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason." Others, such as thelastcupoftea, believed it "looked awful in theaters and it looked awful when I rewatched it on Blu-ray." Smug_amoeba called it "still such a needless and distracting part of the movie," while Worried_Bowl_9489 noted that "both look bad and one is a bit darker lol."
The updated version of Holm's character leans more into the practical effects Alvarez mentioned, with less emphasis on the CGI face. Despite these efforts, some fans, like TheUrPigeon, argued, "Let's be real, it's still awful and garish to resurrect a dead man so needlessly. They can only improve upon it so much because the initial effort was so poor."
The Alien Movies in Chronological Order
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While the CGI of Ian Holm remains a contentious issue among fans, *Alien: Romulus* has undeniably breathed new life into the beloved franchise. As discussions continue about the effectiveness of the home release updates, anticipation builds for *Alien: Romulus 2*, with hopes that Fede Alvarez will return to helm the project and continue the thrilling narrative.
