Promotion continues to ramp up now less than three months away from the premiere of the next Alien film. Empire Magazine officially released a new still from Alien: Romulus in a report that also features words from director Fede Álvarez. The new image features Cailee Spaeny‘s Rain leading the way down a walkway with David Jonsson‘s Andy in tow behind her. Empire asked Álvarez whether the upcoming Alien: Romulus whether more resembled the original Alien movie from Ridley Scott or the 1986 sequel from director James Cameron, to which he responded:

“To ask an Alien fan to choose between them is a perverse question. So I thought, ‘How do I do both?’ There’s a moment where the characters are walking around areas familiar from the Nostromo, then they cross through that building on the other side: boom! You’re in a hallway that looks like Hadley’s Hope [from Aliens].”

Both Alien and the sequel Aliens are well-regarded as transcendent sci-fi movies which revolutionized the genre with the 1979 original landing at a 93% score from critics and the 1986 sequel boasting a near-perfecting rating of 98% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. The franchise has since spawned many spin-offs and sequels, but most fans agree after 1986, they’ve all failed to reach the highs of the two originals, despite Prometheus, the prequel starring Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, holding a dear place in the hearts of many.

The ‘Alien’ Franchise Is in Good Hands With Fede Álvarez

It’s not unheard of for franchises to move in a new direction and hire someone who comes in ready to bring their own vision to an established and beloved property, but this isn’t the case with Álvarez — an Alien superfan who now gets to step behind the camera and helm a film in a franchise he loves. Álvarez was also asked about the dynamic between Spaeny‘s Rain and Jonsson‘s Andy in the film, likening it to that of a brother/sister relationship:

“When her father was dying, he left Andy to be a kind of caretaker, but Andy is a bit damaged and he’s an older model. So more than a surrogate father, he becomes a younger brother to her. And that was always the heart of the story: this relationship between the two… and how that relationship unfolds once shit hits the fan.”

In addition to being a passionate fan, it’s clear Álvarez put a lot of thought and care into developing characters that will resonate with long-time Alien viewers and newcomers to the franchise alike. It’s been a big week for Spaeny, who was one of the first cast members confirmed to join Rian Johnson‘s next Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man. Her talent will be on full display in Alien: Romulus later this summer before setting out on a murder mystery in 2025 with Daniel Craig‘s Benoit Blanc.

Alien: Romulus is set to hit theaters on August 16. Check out the new image above and watch the original Alien movie streaming on Hulu.

via Collider