Alien: Romulus 'Fixed' Terrible Ian Holm CGI for Home Release but Fans Still Think It’s Pretty Bad

"Alien: Romulus" has been a resounding success, captivating both critics and fans alike, and its impressive box office performance has already greenlit a sequel. However, one aspect of the film received widespread criticism: the CGI used to bring back the late Ian Holm, who played the iconic android Ash in Ridley Scott's original "Alien." Holm's CGI appearance in "Alien: Romulus" was met with significant backlash for its distracting and unrealistic quality, prompting fans to create edits that removed his character entirely.

In response to the criticism, director Fede Alvarez took steps to address the issue for the home release of the film. In an interview with Empire, Alvarez admitted that the initial CGI was rushed due to time constraints in post-production, saying, "We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right. I wasn’t 100% happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them." For the home release, Alvarez insisted on reworking the CGI, stating, "We fixed it. We made it better for the release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better."

The revised version for the home release leans more on practical puppet work than CGI, aiming to enhance the visual effect. However, despite these efforts, fans remain divided. While some acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find Holm's appearance distracting and question the necessity of his return. Comments on Reddit reflect this sentiment, with users like Kwtwo1983 saying, "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason," and thelastcupoftea adding, "Should’ve messed his face up much more. It looked awful in theaters and it looked awful when I rewatched it on Blu-ray." Smug_amoeba noted, "Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie…," while Worried_Bowl_9489 observed, "Both look bad and one is a bit darker lol."

Comparisons between the theatrical and home release versions show that the latter focuses more on the practical puppet, making the CGI face less prominent. Nevertheless, some fans, like TheUrPigeon, remain critical, stating, "Let's be real, it's still awful and garish to resurrect a dead man so needlessly. They can only improve upon it so much because the initial effort was so poor."

Despite the CGI controversy, "Alien: Romulus" has successfully revitalized the franchise, grossing an impressive $350 million globally upon its summer debut. Looking ahead, 20th Century Studios announced in October that they are developing "Alien: Romulus 2," which will continue the story from the first film, with Fede Alvarez potentially returning to direct.

The Alien Movies in Chronological Order

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