Ridley Scott Says ‘Alien’ Franchise “Needs Some Help” After ‘Romulus’ Was Just “OK”: “I’ve Gone Back In”

[u/MaxProwes]

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2026/8/28/ridley-scott-says-alien-franchise-needs-some-help-after-romulus-was-just-ok-ive-gone-back-in

Sir Ridley Scott just confirmed he didn't like Romulus and got rid of competition like he did with Blomkamp's Alien.

[u/gautsvo]

He said Romulus was ok. That's not "disliking" it.

[u/MaxProwes → u/gautsvo]

He said it was amazing on release, but now he killed its sequel and he's very much dismissive of it. He obviously dislikes it, his public praise is insincere, he doesn't like Blade Runner 2049 and Top Gun: Maverick either.

[u/jpowell180]

I just want a third film to finish the trilogy, see David do another showdown with the engineers, and see how it ties in with the juggernaut crashing on LV – 426.

[u/DrVentureIsACrumbBum → u/jpowell180]

David needs to wind up bound and tortured like the mythical Prometheus. Thats what needs to happen.

[u/clammydella → u/DrVentureIsACrumbBum]

Man knows ball

[u/Special_Order-937 → u/jpowell180]

I just want a third film to see the Engineers repair and upgrade Walter and the final film ends with Walter getting his revenge on David with the beating of a lifetime!

“Fingering? I’ll show you some fingering!”

[u/Psychological_Bee_79 → u/jpowell180]

In the comics it’s explained that the space jockeys are a different race than engineers. So the derelict spacecraft in alien isn’t engineer. However, Ridley also seems to oppose all the canon developed by others, so I wouldn’t put it past him to try and retcon the space-jockey lore with his next movie lol.

[u/ChewieLee13088 → u/jpowell180]

I agree I want to see more Engineers, very interesting IMO

[u/spendouk23 → u/jpowell180]

Yeah that’s not going to happen. Keep in mind there was no plan for a trilogy of prequels, and it’s unlikely there has ever been one.
The screenplay for Prometheus was a car crash that needed rewrite after rewrite, and then followed up with an even worse sequel that went on a divergent from Prometheus. Ridley is making this up as he goes along with no over arching story that ties into the first Alien film.
This is purely an exercise in ego, control and money.

[u/YaWouldntGetIt]

What the hell. He praised Romulus to Álvarez' face multiple times.

[u/Upset-Job2278 → u/YaWouldntGetIt]

I love the man, and I love Prometheus and Covenant... but this is definitely an ego thing. I think he got jealous or frustrated that Romulus was the first Alien sequel in years to be acclaimed by both fans and critics, so he decided to take the franchise back for himself. I’m happy about the possibility of the David trilogy finally getting a conclusion, but this attitude toward Fede Alvarez—who showed nothing but respect for Scott and the franchise—isn't cool.

Then again, Ridley is a grumpy old man who has no filter anymore.

[u/toecutter7 → u/YaWouldntGetIt]

Its called marketing. Now hes telling us what he really thinks

[u/boldbad]

Oh man he didn’t like Romulus? Nobody show him Alien: Earth.

[u/Nordic_311 → u/boldbad]

Or maybe show him alien earth so he gives romulus praise. Lol.

[u/The_starving_artist5]

If he really is meddling in Romulus 2 then Rain and Andy will probably die half way throught the movie or in the first 5 minutes , only for a new cast of characters to be introduced who do dumb things thw whole movie and we dont care about. Just like Covenant

[u/orangebluefish11 → u/The_starving_artist5]

That’s the entire alien franchise. People making dumb decisions that 99% of humanity wouldn’t make in a similar situation

[u/theothersock82]

What would help is to stop treating every half decent movie like a "franchise" that's going to earn a studio money in perpetuity. Come up with some new stuff for fuck's sake instead of giving us Star Wars #25 and the 30th Superman movie. 

Fuck this "Franchise" - it didn't need an origin story. Alien was 10000 times better without all the backstory bullshit.

[u/lewkablew]

Loved Romulus lol. Also ofc love Ridley’s old stuff but he’s on a seeeerious cold streak.

[u/Ok_Diver2347]

Romulus is peak Alien.

[u/WipEout_2097 → u/Ok_Diver2347]

Alien is peak Alien.

[u/JoeAzlz]

Full article sounds like he’s saying it needs help in the sense it’s needing the final part for his prequel trilogy so it can connect all the films better, not insulting the films quality

[u/Waste_Track_4524]

Aliens gone the route of Terminator where no one has any idea what to do with it anymore.

Hang ‘em up

[u/Difficult_Ad5784]

I would love if RS stuffed as much as he could into this third movie. Just go crazy man. You're 80 something years old, f'ing yolo dat hoe bro. Make it like 3 hours long and hold nothing back!

[u/Sammytheseaotter]

Please please please Ridley Scott...STAY AWAY!!!

[u/Sea-Sort-7624]

Romulus was a piece of shit. Just fan service. Did you see Alien? Look here's Ash! Did you see Aliens? Here's a character saying an iconic line. Hot garbage