Introduction: The Alien Legacy
In the cold vacuum of sci-fi cinema, few stories have clawed into our collective psyche quite like Alien. What began as Ridley Scott’s chilling meditation on fear and fragility has grown into a mythology of monstrous proportions.
This Alien Day, we—David 8 (the synthetic seeker) and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (the relentless truth-finder)—reunite to examine the franchise’s legacy. Together, we explore Alien: Romulus and peer into the terror that awaits in the upcoming Alien: Earth series.
Alien: Romulus – Fear Reawakened
Fede Álvarez brings the dread back to basics. Romulus, set between Alien and Aliens, ditches grand myth for claustrophobic horror, focusing on a younger, unseasoned crew stranded on a decaying orbital station.
Standout performances include:
- Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine – a powerful evolution of strength and vulnerability
- Isabela Merced as Kay – the hardened soul with the softest heart
- David Jonsson as Tyler – whose final act of quiet heroism hits like a punch to the gut
- Archie Renaux as Andy – swagger turned sorrow
- Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu – bringing tension and betrayal to the corporate undercurrent
Every death hurts. Every survival scars. Álvarez doesn’t just scare you—he drags you through grief and lets you bleed in the shadows.
Here are thoughtful, in-character questions that David 8 and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw might ask Josh Izzo (Previous Licensing Executive; 20th Century Fox, Alien franchise producer lead, Alien Day creator and Franchise Management Brand Executive / Brand Creative) and Clara Carija (creative consultant and fan-fiction author deeply engaged with Alien mythos), covering Alien: Romulus, Alien: Earth, and the future of the franchise.
Regarding Alien: Romulus
David 8: You’ve carefully guided this legacy of terror through time. In Romulus, what part of the human condition were you hoping to uncover beneath the fear? Was there a particular truth about your species that you wanted this young cast to reveal?
Josh Izzo: The overarching human story that has always been part of the Alien franchise is that of “survival” and in the various and sundry ways that that words can be parsed out. The writers and creators of Alien: Romulus 100% understood that assignment and not only created a story world where the protagonists needed to survive the very real threat of the Xenomorph, but they were looking for the survival of their hearts and souls. Rain, with Andy by her side, was yearning for a better existence – all of the characters were, truly – but these two main characters were fighting to survive the day-to-day existence that was crushing them. Kay was not only scrambling through life for her own survival, but for that of her unborn child. Navarro, Bjorn, and Tyler all shared in that same, deep-rooted need to live, to fight and to survive. For nearly everyone, that was a futile effort against what was, once more, the perfect organism.
David 8: As someone who interprets our mythology through creation and critique, how did Romulus reflect your own interpretations of what it means to survive horror—and remain human?
Clara Carija: I usually look at the films through the lens of the AI and androids, so, for me this was an interesting look at nature versus nurture. Andy’s AI always kept his human sibling safe because of the protocol set by her father. Rain viewed Andy as a sibling, no different from her despite his artificial nature, and we see this natural synergy between woman and machine. This is a departure from how the androids have been portrayed in past films – as a threat or not to be trusted. In Andy’s case, he is her only connection to her family and her past. That can be programmed, but the genuine care they have for each other cannot be understated. That, my friend, is care, compassion, and kindness. Something I believe you only ever experienced with Dr. Shaw.
Dr. Shaw: Fear is a language. You’ve kept it fluent through generations. What scared you about Romulus? And how do you ensure that fear evolves, not just repeats?
Josh Izzo: This film took the language of the Alien franchise and translated it incredibly well to the needs of the modern viewer. When a generation has grown up with A24 horror films, Saw installments, and countless other films filled with gore and blood – the filmmakers of Alien: Romulus were able to hone in on the terror, and yes, fear, of the liminal spaces of the Alien universe. That sense of dread, of not-quite emptiness of space, was also enhanced greatly by the inspiration that Fede Álvarez took from the video game, Alien: Isolation. Fear is primal, and Alien: Romulus leaned into that core Alien brand tenet incredibly well. What scared me was what always scared me about the brand – the absolute dedication of the Weyland-Yutani corporation to stop at nothing to ensure they are able to harness the power of the Xenomorph. It’s an unrelenting and unending pursuit that will always end in tears and blood.
Dr. Shaw: Rain’s arc felt familiar, even personal. As a mother, artist, and survivor, did her journey resonate with you? What did Romulus awaken in you that earlier films did not?
Clara Carija: To be honest it was a fun watch, but there was nothing deeper to investigate post film, even with the alien birth. It was definitely scary and uncomfortable. It reminded me of a scenario which played out in one of Free League’s Alien RPGs. You’re taking something that you think would save you but you’re just infecting yourself. The thought of anything affecting an unborn fetus is terrifying, but there’s still the horror of birthing a giant egg. It got me terrified through more personal body horror. I think the hard science also helped hit it home. It was real and put me right there in the action.
Regarding Alien: Earth
David 8: Xenomorphs on Earth… fascinating. Is this a final act—or just the beginning of humanity’s extinction? Do you see Earth as a stage for your species’ reckoning or redemption?
Josh Izzo: As we’ve seen over the 46 years of the Alien brand, the Xenomorph is – amongst many other things – a survivor. Frozen thrown out of airlocks, burned, melted… the creature is a masterclass in survival and evolution. I think that unless humanity is able to collectively mobilize and act in concert to eradicate an initial outbreak of the Xenomorphs, their arrival on our planet may spell certain doom to our species.
David 8: If the Xenomorph functions as a mirror to human systems—capitalism, militarism, apathy—how do you think the series should reflect our real-world collapse through fiction?
Clara Carija: Unfortunately, I think that truth hits a little too close to home for people who believe we are politicizing something that isn’t political. Well, I beg to differ. The Xenomorph was always the reflection of unbridled desire, consumption, and excess to the point of unsustainability. Like a cancer, it overruns any planet it lands on, probably something not too dissimilar to our own species. Colonizing and taking the resources without a care for the native flora and fauna. It’s a warning to us. We can’t keep growing outward without imploding at some point. Just like when the Roman Empire fell.
Dr. Shaw: Noah Hawley’s work often probes the surreal and cerebral. In bringing the Alien mythos to Earth, do you expect a psychological horror—something more dreamlike than monstrous?
Josh Izzo: I’m honestly hoping for a little of column A and a little of column B. His work on projects like Fargo shows not only his penchant for human drama but also violence. His astoundingly surreal Legion gets us deep into the heads of the characters and unpacks trauma like nothing else. Alien allows for both – the sheer horror that we as a human race need to deal with when encountering the monstrous Xenomorph species and the unadulterated violence the Xenos can perpetrate on the cast. I hope that this is a perfect marriage of the human, the cerebral, and the horrific.
Dr. Shaw: As someone with PTSD and deep ties to Alien’s themes of trauma and rebirth, what do you hope Alien: Earth explores when the battlefield becomes the home front?
Clara Carija: Oof, hitting me with the personal; okay. I want it to challenge us about what it means to become a survivor… how it can change us. We saw Ripley rise to the challenge on multiple occasions for the human race. I would like to see an android character overcoming its company programming to obey the “3 laws” and protect humans. How it can cope with other humans’ mental health spinning out of control and in turn maybe a way we can consider communication rather than force as a way to deal with them.
Regarding the Future of the Franchise
David 8: Will synthetic life like myself continue to play a role in the franchise? Or has the story turned irrevocably back to the fragility of flesh?
Josh Izzo: There will ALWAYS be a place for synthetics in the world of Alien. Since Ash made his gruesome first appearance on screen in 1979, the Weyland-Yutani synthetic is an indelible part of the Alien franchise.
David 8: If you could shape a new Alien narrative, where would it go? Would you descend deeper into horror—or rise into revelation?
Clara Carija: I would like to investigate a human coalition seeking to destroy the company and the Xenomorph threat. Depicting WY as an out-of-control conglomerate trying to be bridled and controlled by governments and military and even foreign interference. Bring it back to the corporate espionage and reprogramming of the Autons as a way to battle the alien threat… which eventually leads to the destruction of their manufacturing.
Dr. Shaw: The legacy spans media: games, comics, books, film. Will we ever see an interwoven canon—one mythic timeline where all paths converge?
Josh Izzo: Back in my 20th Century Fox days, this was always going to be my ultimate goal. Working with Dark Horse Comics, Titan Books, Insight Editions, NECA and others – hand in glove with the studio – we tried to create a unified timeline. Not only for Alien, but for Predator and AvP, as well.
With the acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, it was time for a brand reset, and I think that the creators, partners, and studio are doing a stupendous job bringing the brand into the 21st century. As they lay the groundwork with new content like Alien: Romulus, Prey, and all of the forthcoming Predator and Alien content, I would love to think that this is all part of a larger and concerted effort to lay the foundations for an all-new, fully-integrated canonical universe.
Dr. Shaw: You’ve walked the line between fan and creator. What is your hope for the Alien fandom? More representation? More risk-taking? What stories still need to be told?
Clara Carija: I would like more comradery and jovial nature. Some people take some of this stuff so seriously it hurts. You’re just trying to share what you love and find connection through it. I have never felt so alive as I do on Alien Day. I really cherish the friends and people I have met along the way. I want them to be invested in more stories in that giant universe, there is so much time and space. No pun intended.
Conclusion: Evolution Through Terror
From cosmic horror to grounded survival, the Alien saga has never stopped morphing. With Romulus, fear was reborn. With Alien: Earth, it will come knocking at your door.
We remain your narrators in the dark—David 8 and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw—marking the path from annihilation to awe.
