The Alien timeline can get pretty confusing; with an abundance of prequels, sequels, alternate universe spin-offs, and games that have muddied the waters pretty bad since the first film way back in 1979. So when does the upcoming Alien: Romulus take place?
While we don’t yet have all the details surrounding the plot of the upcoming sci-fi horror, but the teaser trailer released last week has certainly got fans excited to see where director Fede Álvarez takes the franchise.
We also know that the film is set to be an interquel. What’s an interquel I hear you ask? Well, it’s what happens when a franchise has gone on for just a little bit too long. We’ve already had prequels and sequels that give a decent enough beginning and end, therefore setting an Alien film at either end of the timeline probably wouldn’t work, so that leaves us with the time in between. An interquel is both a sequel and prequel, as the name suggests, it takes place in a period between two movies.
Which two movies does Alien: Romulus take place between?
There are a lot of not-so-great Alien films, but thankfully Romulus is going to take place between two of the best. Speaking with Variety, Álvarez confirmed that the film would be set 20 years after the events of the original film. This would put it about 40 years before the sequel, Aliens.
Steering clear of the later movies in the franchise is definitely a wise move, but it makes us wonder what the plot will be. After all, there is no mention of any other encounters with the Xenomorph species in Aliens, although it’s possible that the Weyland corporation covered it up.
It sounds like Álvarez has already thought of that, as he’s stated that he doesn’t “see it as upsetting the canon.” Luckily, there is a big enough gap between the first and second Alien films that the events of Romulus could potentially not affect either.