Ian Holm's Role in Aliens: Romulus Explained

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Alien: Romulus!

Summary

• Rook in Alien: Romulus is a new Ash-like android, using Ian Holm's facial and vocal reference, but played by a new actor.
• Since the actor's death in 2020, technology has been used to make Rook look and sound like Ian Holm.
• Rook could have appeared as David or Bishop, but the decision to appear as Ash in Alien: Romulus ties the stories of the androids together.

Alien: Romulus returns the original Alien It's surprising how star Ian Holm and the Ash actor came back for the franchise. He participates in Fede Alvarez's film Alien and Foreigners There was always that expectation in the franchise timeline Alien: Romulus will link to the original film. What was not known was how closely related it really was to the previous installments. while Alien: RomulusThe cast is full of new characters played mostly by young actors, one of the biggest surprises of the film Rook, an android with the look and voice of Ian Holm.

Rook plays an important role Alien: Romulus' story, when the module is transferred to Andy (David Jonsson), allowing his prime directive to continue. Seeing Ian Holm's face and hearing his voice is unexpected the actor died in 2020. Again, the Ash performer is involved Alien: Romulus As the only actor to return to the film set 20 years after Ridley Scott's original 1979 film. Still missing in Ripley's time Alien: RomulusIn the end, the movie got creative with Ian Holm in the role to set up Ash's story after the android's death.

Alien: Romulus' Rook is a New Version of Ian Holm's Ash

They have many similarities

Character of Ian Holm Alien: Romulus Not Ash because Rook is a brand new android. He's not a rebuilt version of the 1979 Ash glitch Alien and dies. That said, Rook is still very clearly modeled after Ash. It's like Ridley Scott's attitude to Michael Fassbender's David Prometheus and Alien: The Covenantbecause it shares the look and sound but different programming, capabilities, etc. There were different models of the same android. Instead Alien: Romulus Needing to rebuild Ash to tell the same story, he casts Ruku as his new model.

Rook and Ash have more in common than sharing an Ian Holm look. Rook's prime directive is to ensure that the original mission that brought him to the Renaissance space station is accomplished by whatever means necessary. It is designed to get Weyland the remains of the original Xenomorph Alien the results of trying to create a new combination like Prometheus' black goo. This is remarkably similar to Ash's directive in the original film, which was initially a secret to the entire crew of the Nostromo. It seems that Weyland built Rook years later to continue Ash's mission.

How Alien: Romulus Rook looked and sounded like Ian Holm

Holm died before production began

Ian Holm was unable to attend due to his death in 2020 Alien: Romulus' production did not begin until 2023. Holm is still listed in the film's credits for providing Rook's. “face and vocal reference.” This means that the film had to use various technological advances to make Rook look and sound like the late actor.

The accuracy of which technology has not yet been confirmed Alien: Romulus It was used to make Rook look and sound like Ian Holm. However, it is clear that Some CGI was used to make the character have Holm's physical features. Deepfake technology was likely used to some extent, as it allows another actor to play Rook in the film, but digitally superimposes Holm's face on top of the real performance. As Ian Holm has many roles outside of the film Alienthere are many images Alien: Romulus could draw Ruk's appearance convincingly.

The same probably applies to how Alien: Romulus Uses Ian Holm's voice for Rook. He did not write any new dialogues for the filmnor were any of Rook's lines changed from the original film or removed from deleted scenes. It is possible that the film used artificial intelligence to voice Ian Holm and deliver Rook's lines, but this has not been confirmed. However, this can only be done using one type of technology. So, whether it's deep-fake technology, AI, or something else, Alien: Romulus actually Ian Holm didn't play Rook.

Who plays Rook in Aliens: Romulus?

A Different Actor Was Calling

Rook may look and sound like Ian Holm Alien: Romulushowever, another actor was involved in the production of the film to portray the character. Movie officially gives credit “face and vocal performance” Rook to Daniel Betts. He's the one who was physically part of the shoot and pioneered the digital changes that made Rook look like Ian Holm. His physical performance was key to what the digital version of Ian's face did. The same may be true for Rook's linear delivery.

Daniel Betts is an actor who has previously participated in many projects Alien: Romulus. He worked with Brad Pitt many times Anger, Allyand War machine. Betts is also known for playing Ernst von Hanover Taj and Professor Ben Harvey Fate: Winx Saga. Other notable credits include Confession, Atlantic crossing, Mr. Jack, Emmerdale Farmand After the flood. His role Alien: Romulus As is Rook how similar Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Guy Henry played Grand Moff Tarkin Before Peter Cushing's appearance digitally replaced him.

Why Alien: Romulus Rooke Like Ash Instead Of Other Androids

David and Bishop could work

Rook's decision to appear as Ash Alien: Romulus Ian Holm's look is notable for not being meant for Android. The franchise has already established that there are other androids with different physical appearance. The film could have used a synthetic look like Michael Fassbender's David or Lance Henriksen's Bishop. Since Fassbender and Henriksen are still alive, Alien: Romulus It could have avoided any ethical dilemma of digitally recreating the late actor, as with Ian Holm.

It seems that the best explanation for Rook being similar to Ash is the main story and overall issue. Alien timeline. Alien: Romulus clearly He wanted Rook to feel like an extension of Ashso making the two androids look the same achieves this. The decision leaves an unresolved question as to why Weyland created another android modeled after Ash, especially Bishop Foreigners how problematic this model has proven to be.

As to why David and Bishop weren't used as the basis for Rook in Ash's place, there are some conjectures. It is likely that David models have been discontinued once in a while Alien: The Covenant and Alienso Rook's resemblance to Fassbender's character could raise questions. Alien: Romulus It could have been a great opportunity to show and include the introduction of Bishop android models Foreigners. However, Rook's prime directive makes sense as it overlaps more with Ash and the bishop. Alien: Romulus Uniting them by sharing the likeness of Ian Holm.