Alien: Romulus, a critical and box office success, has already spawned a sequel. However, one aspect drew widespread criticism: the CGI depiction of Ian Holm. Holm, who passed away in 2020, famously portrayed Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien. His controversial CGI return in Alien: Romulus was deemed distracting and unrealistic, prompting a popular fan edit to remove his character entirely.

Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, admitting time constraints in post-production led to imperfections. He stated, "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 improved 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 incorporates more puppetry.

However, fan reaction remains mixed. While some acknowledge improvement, many still find Holm's appearance distracting, with some questioning the necessity of his inclusion. Reddit discussions highlight this ongoing debate, with comments ranging from "Better, but still awfully uncanny" to "Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie..."

The home release subtly alters shots to showcase more of the practical effects, minimizing the jarring CGI face. Yet, criticism persists, with comments like "Let's be real, it's still awful and garish to resurrect a dead man so needlessly."

Despite the controversy, Alien: Romulus achieved significant box office success, grossing $350 million globally. A sequel, Alien: Romulus 2, is currently in development at 20th Century Studios, with Alvarez potentially returning.

The Alien Movies in Chronological Order

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