When Will ‘Alien: Romulus’ Be Available for Streaming?

Alien: Romulus, the seventh installment in the Alien franchise, is now in theaters. When will it be available for home streaming?

Directed by Fede Alvarez, Alien: Romulus premieres 45 years after Ridley Scott’s original 1979 sci-fi horror classic Alien. Sigourney Weaver famously starred as Lt. Ellen Ripley, a role she reprised in subsequent sequels: Aliens in 1986, Alien 3 in 1992, and Alien: Resurrection in 1997.

Scott directed the first Alien film but stepped away before returning to the series’ first prequel, Prometheus, in 2012. He also directed its sequel, Alien: Covenant, in 2017.

Alien: Romulus moves the storyline back to the franchise’s early days. The film’s plot is set between the events of the original Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens (1986).

The film follows a group of young adult renegades who, intent on escaping their mining colony, travel to an abandoned space outpost. They’re seeking cryo pods necessary for a lengthy nine-year journey. However, during their venture, they unintentionally awaken a horde of Facehugger Xenomorphs, putting their lives at enormous risk.

The cast includes Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu. The film had preview screenings on Thursday evening and is set for nationwide release on Friday. For now, the only way to catch Alien: Romulus is in theaters.

When it transitions to home entertainment, Alien: Romulus will first be available via premium video on demand (PVOD). Typically, PVOD titles can be purchased for $24.99 to $29.99 or rented for $19.99 to $24.99 for a 48-hour viewing period.

You can buy or rent PVOD titles on digital platforms like Prime Video, AppleTV+, and VUDU. Since Alien: Romulus is released by 20th Century Studios, a Disney subsidiary, expect a PVOD release about 60 days post-theatrical debut. For example, 20th Century Studios’ summer hit Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes followed this pattern, hitting PVOD on July 9 after a May 10 theater release.

If Alien: Romulus follows this timeline, you can anticipate a PVOD release around mid-October, likely October 15 or 18, as new titles are typically released on Tuesdays and Fridays.

So where will Alien: Romulus land for streaming video on demand? Disney owns two streaming services: Disney+ and Hulu. Disney+ primarily features family-friendly content, generally rated G, PG, or PG-13. On the other hand, Hulu hosts most of 20th Century Studios’ releases regardless of rating.

For instance, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, rated PG-13, first premiered on Hulu for streaming. Given that Alien: Romulus is a 20th Century Studios production, it is expected that Hulu will be its first subscription streaming service.

Typically, 20th Century Studios’ films debut on Hulu about 90 days post-theatrical release. Hence, if Alien: Romulus adheres to this schedule, it should be available on Hulu around November 15.

There is a possibility for an earlier debut. For instance, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes opened in theaters on May 10 and began streaming on Hulu on August 2. Similarly, The First Omen, a 20th Century Studios horror thriller, was available on Hulu less than 60 days after its theatrical release.

For those eager to watch Alien: Romulus, it is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

Source: Forbes