Romulus brought that actor back from Ridley Scott's original 1979 film

Summary

• Ian Holm's unexpected return as an android in Alien: Romulus raises moral questions about CGI resurrections of deceased actors.
• Director Fede Álvarez threw in plenty of fan service nods to the previous Alien film, but Holm's return sparked controversy over bringing back the deceased actors.
• Despite the backlash, the possibility that CGI Ian Holm will return for future Alien sequels remains open.

Warning: This article contains spoilers Alien: Romulus.

Alien: Romulus It brings back one key cast member from the ensemble cast of Ridley Scott's original 1979 film — and it's the last one I expect to see at Disney. Alien reboot. Alien: Romulus takes place somewhere between the decades Alien and Foreigners. While Ellen Ripley drifts through space in a frozen sleep, a young space miner named Rain and her friends try to escape to a planet with sunlight. But to do that, they have to stop at the abandoned Romulus station and pick up some equipment – only to find it less abandoned and more ruined on the inside.

Despite being billed as a stand-alone installment largely divorced from the story and characters of the previous films, there was always that chance. Alien: Romulus will connect with the wider franchise for some fan service. Director Fede Alvarez recycles several iconic shots from previous films and even includes a repeat of this line.Stay away from him you b****” as a wink to the audience. But the most blatant part of the fan service was the inclusion of the last actor I thought I'd see. On board the Romulus station, Rain and co. meet a familiar face.

Ian Holm Is The Last Alien Actor I Thought Would Be In Aliens: Romulus

Holm's character suffered a tragic fate and the actor passed away in 2020

since Alien: Romulus happens before Foreignersit was unlikely that any of the cast of that film – or any of the subsequent series – would appear. But it was unlikely that anyone from the original Alien The film would be seen as all of its characters except Sigourney Weaver were horribly killed off. Weaver was the only actor from the first Alien a film whose return seems a real possibility Alien: Romulusbut since Ripley had to be in cryosleep the whole time, it seemed like a long shot. Alien and Foreigners.

It would have been possible for Michael Fassbender to reprise his role as David, but Disney was apparently keen to walk away from the film. Prometheus prequels that met with mixed response and underperformed at the box office. Of all these Alien actors I thought might appear Alien: RomulusIan Holm seemed unlikely. Holm's android character Ash was dismembered in the original Alienand Holm died in 2020. So I was pleasantly surprised when Holm's CG lookalike Rook showed up to play Romulus' on-board android.

Why Ian Holm's return to Alien: Romulus is controversial

Bringing actors to life with CGI is morally dubious

Holm's computer generated flashback Alien: Romulus caused widespread controversy because bringing beloved actors back from the dead for the sake of fan service is a morally dubious practice. The Romulus android could have been anyone; It didn't have to be the same model as Ash. This isn't the first time that a late Hollywood actor has faced some backlash for bringing him back to life with CGI.: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story CG brought back Peter Cushing for a cameo as Grand Moff Tarkin; Flash brought back CG Christopher Reeve for a cameo appearance as the multiversal Superman.

Since the deceased actors could not give their performances, they could not even agree to be filmed. It feels a little immoral to put them in a movie, especially when the character is there for some cheap member-berry fan service. And in addition to the moral implications, it never seems right and often falls into the uncanny valley. When the PS2 cutscene version of an iconic character graces the silver screen, it can be really distracting.

Ian Holm died on June 19, 2020, aged 88.

Alien: Romulus suggests Ian Holm could be in more movies

Now they've done it once, they can do it again

Although Rook was apparently destroyed when Romulus crashed into the rings at the end of the station Alien: Romulusthe film suggests that Holm could be brought back for another sequel. Now that they've done it once, and Holm's digital likeness is in the Disney CGI library, they could easily do it again and introduce another Ash-model android. But maybe they'll be reluctant to bring Holm back for the sequel; Next time it might be less morally appropriate to use Lance Henriksen instead.

Henriksen's bishop is as iconic as Holm's Ash, but Henriksen is still alive to allow producers to use his likeness and give a real human performance to digitally age. It can also work dramatically better. The Alien Audiences already tend to trust the android to look like Ash, but they look more like Bishop. Alien: Romulus continuation.