Romulus Box Office Propels Film to Second-Highest in Franchise

The newest entry in the long-running Alien franchise was a quick hit at the box office when it debuted last month, with Alien: Romulus earning $42 million in its opening frame. That was good enough for the second-biggest opening ever for the franchise, trailing only 2012’s Prometheus. Now, a couple of weeks later, Alien: Romulus has now taken over another second-place spot in the all-time Alien box office rankings.

When the dust settles on Labor Day Weekend, Alien: Romulus is expected to sit at a worldwide box office gross of $283.5 million. That puts the Fede Alvarez film well ahead of the previous second-place Alien movie, 2017’s Alien: Covenant. That movie tapped out at just over $240 million worldwide.

The only film ahead of Alien: Romulus in terms of the all-time franchise standings is Prometheus, the same film that delivered the series’ biggest opening weekend. It will take Romulus quite a bit more if it wants to catch Prometheus and claim the overall Alien box office crown. More than a decade ago, Ridley Scott’s return to the series made just over $403 million, which still leads the entire franchise.

Given this fantastic box office performance, Alien fans will obviously be wondering if Romulus has opened the door for another entry into the franchise.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, Alvarez was asked about a potential Romulus sequel. While it wasn’t on the forefront of his mind during the film, he definitely thought about ways the story could be extended after the fact.

“Yes, I definitely can. We tend to do that naturally, not even thinking about sequels. For us, movies have not become franchises, tentpoles, and sequels,” the director said. “This is a language that I’ve only learned in the last ten years of my life working here. For me, it’s always been about story. So, once we finished, we started thinking, ‘What do you think happens when or if they get to your Yvaga? Is it going to be great? Or is it a terrible place?’ We tend to believe it’s probably a terrible place that they think is great and fantasize about, so we naturally started thinking about where it goes and what’s going to happen. And then, a few minutes in, we go, ‘Oh, that sounds like a sequel.'”

Moving forward, it remains to be seen what the next steps for the Alien franchise will be. With Alvarez showing an interest in continuing the story, fans might have reason to hope for another thrilling chapter in the series. The director’s thoughtful approach to extending the narrative suggests that any potential sequel would be crafted with care, focusing on compelling storytelling rather than just capitalizing on the franchise’s name.

The remarkable success of Alien: Romulus at the box office is a strong indicator that there’s still significant interest and excitement surrounding the Alien series. This renewed attention could be the perfect catalyst for launching new projects within the franchise, be it another feature film, spin-offs, or other forms of media.

Ultimately, whether or not a sequel materializes may depend on several factors, including box office performance, audience demand, and creative direction. Fans are undoubtedly eager to see where the story might go next and how the characters they’ve come to care about will evolve. With the franchise’s rich history and Alvarez’s apparent enthusiasm for the material, the future looks promising for the Alien universe.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter