SFX/VFX VETERANS OF ALIENS REUNITE TO STRIKE FRESH TERROR INTO ALIEN: ROMULUS

By JENNIFER CHAMPAGNE

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios, except where noted.

The Alien franchise has always been about pushing boundaries. From Ridley Scott’s original 1979 Alien to James Cameron’s Aliens in 1986, the series captivated audiences with its terrifying mix of storytelling and technical mastery. The practical magic of animatronics, puppetry and miniatures gave the extraterrestrial nightmare its unforgettable texture, creating a visceral experience that lingers in the minds of fans. Now, decades later, Alien: Romulus takes the franchise into a bold new era, merging those tactile roots with state-of-the-art digital techniques to craft a visual spectacle that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Álvarez, a self-proclaimed Alien superfan, helmed this latest chapter with a clear mission: to honor the franchise’s iconic feel through practical effects while leveraging the latest digital applications. “What we wanted was the same visceral, real experience from the original films,” Álvarez explains. “But we also wanted to embrace where technology is today. It’s about respecting the legacy while pushing it forward.” His commitment to practical effects was unwavering, bringing back veteran craftsmen from Aliens to oversee creature design and animatronics while seamlessly integrating cutting-edge CG. This hybrid approach sets a new benchmark for the franchise, balancing authenticity with innovation to deliver a fresh yet nostalgic cinematic experience.

The team behind Romulus exemplifies the fusion of tradition and innovation. Alec Gillis, who supervised the chestburster effects with his team at Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. (ADI), and Legacy Effects Supervisors Shane Mahan and Lindsay MacGowan, who oversaw the adult Xenomorphs, brought decades of expertise and passion to the project. Both teams, veterans of previous Alien films, approached the project as a homecoming – a chance to revisit and evolve the iconic creatures they helped bring to life. “The tools we have now let us do things we could only dream of back in the ‘80s,” Gillis notes. “But the goal was always to make it feel real – to make it visceral.”

“Matching [Director of Photography] Galo [Olivares’s] lighting style was one of the most rewarding and demanding parts of the project. We had to ensure the digital creations didn’t just blend into the live-action shots but felt like they were lit by the same haunting glow.”

—Eric Barba, Production VFX Supervisor

Despite its $80 million budget, Romulus boasts the visual scale and ambition of a much larger production. Filmed entirely in Budapest, Hungary, primarily at Origo Studios, the team maximized resources with state-of-the-art facilities and expert local crew. Their craftsmanship, enhanced by digital techniques, ensured the film retained its tangible, gritty texture while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in modern effects. This was further elevated by Galo Olivares’s cinematography, which embraced rich contrasts and shadowy depth – a visual palette that amplified the horror and suspense elements while integrating the palpable realism of the practical effects with the eerie atmosphere of the alien environments.

Production VFX Supervisor Eric Barba conveyed how Olivares’s cinematography provided a “nice and contrasty” visual palette that amplified the horror and suspense elements of the film. The intricate use of backlighting and rich contrasts not only added depth to the alien environments but also created an oppressive sense of menace that underscored the film’s tone. However, Olivares’s technique of working on the edge of exposure where shadows were allowed to fall presented unique challenges for the visual effects team. “Matching Galo’s lighting style was one of the most rewarding and demanding parts of the project,” Barba explains. “We had to ensure the digital creations didn’t just blend into the live-action shots but felt like they were lit by the same haunting glow.” This attention to detail contributed to the film’s cohesive visual narrative, making the cinematography a central element of its atmospheric appeal.

From a director’s standpoint, Álvarez doesn’t favor storyboards carved in stone or excessive previs. “I don’t want to be locked into something too rigid before we start shooting,” Álvarez states. “I like to leave room for creativity and discovery as we go.” However, Álvarez also recognizes that a film like Alien: Romulus – with its intricate blend of practical and digital effects – requires a well-organized previs process. The team still heavily relied on tools like 3ds Max for specific needs, particularly for Álvarez to set up the camera and lighting angles. “We did a lot of previs to ensure everything worked in the digital realm before we started shooting,” Barba remarks. “But the goal was always to keep that initial vision open to adjustments and surprises once we were on set.”

“A tremendous amount of work went into keeping the balance of practical versus digital effects. What made [director] Fede [Álvarez] really happy was that we didn’t take that cheaper, faster way out. We embraced what he had shot.”

—Daniel Macarin, Visual Effects Supervisor, Wētā FX

For the VFX team, led by Barba, 3ds Max was invaluable for tasks like Álvarez’s camera placement. It was a crucial tool in helping them plan out specific effects sequences. “The software allowed us to plan and explore shot compositions and digital environments before we ever set foot on set,” Barba continues. “It was like a virtual blueprint that guided the execution of practical effects and digital enhancements, ensuring everything would mesh seamlessly.” While Álvarez’s preference for flexibility over rigid planning encouraged creative spontaneity on set, the team’s meticulous previs work provided a strong technical framework that  that guaranteed that even the most complex visual effects sequences were grounded and cohesive.

The chestburster scene, one of the franchise’s most iconic moments, was reimagined in Romulus to showcase the fusion of old and new techniques. Gillis and his team began with digital sculpting in ZBrush, crafting an intricately detailed model that could be adjusted and refined before being 3D-printed at various scales. This allowed for a level of precision and efficiency that would have been unimaginable in earlier films. Once printed, the models were brought to life with animatronics, featuring translucent silicone skin, injected black fluids for shifting textures, and servo mechanisms for lifelike articulation. Álvarez wanted the sequence to feel raw and unsettling, echoing the primal, slow-motion terror of a natural birth. Gillis’s team delivered with a puppet that could drool, snarl and twist with terrifying authenticity, subtly enhanced by digital touches to perfect its movements.

The shift from traditional clay sculpting to digital sculpting and 3D printing represents a pivotal evolution in the creation process for Romulus. “We decided that we were going to do this not as a traditional clay sculpture but as a 3D digital sculpt,” Gillis explains. “Once we had that form, it allowed our mechanical department to start designing in 3D, ensuring everything aligned perfectly.” The transistion from clay to digital not only helped to streamline production but also establish consistency between the large-scale and one-to-one models to smoothly integrate practical and digital. By moving away from clay, the team gained the ability to iterate quickly while maintaining the physical authenticity of the original Alien model.

“We knew that animatronics could give us the tactile realism we needed, but combining it with subtle digital enhancements gave the creature a fluidity that made it truly come alive.”

—Lindsay MacGowan, Special Effects Supervisor, Legacy Effects

Miniatures played a central role in grounding the film’s massive set pieces. Producer Camille Balsamo-Gillis collaborated with New Deal Studios Co-founder Ian Hunter, a miniature effects veteran, to bring these elements to life. Using 3D scans and designs from Production Designer Naaman Marshall, the team built models that aligned with the film’s visual aesthetic. “This level of precision allowed us to create miniatures that not only looked incredible but also matched perfectly with the digital environments,” Balsamo-Gillis says. One of the most striking applications of their work was the Corbelin, a ship that evolved from initial 2D designs into a richly detailed 3D model that took on character in the process. The Corbelin and the Echo Probe were crafted to honor the original Alien production design while adding fresh elements unique to Romulus. A standout sequence involved the Corbelin’s dramatic crash into the Romulus, where the miniatures’ realism brought weight and texture to the scene. Once built, the miniatures were scanned, digitized and integrated into the film with the help of Wētā FX and ILM. Other effects vendors on the film included Image Engine, Fin Design + Effects, Wētā Workshop, Wylie Co., Metaphysic, Pro Machina, Atomic Arts and Tippett Studios.

The blend of practical and digital elements was central to the film’s identity. Barba, a veteran of TRON: Legacy and Terminator: Dark Fate, notes the importance of balance. “It’s not about replacing practical effects with digital ones,” he explains. “It’s about enhancing what’s already there and making sure everything feels cohesive.” His team used Houdini and Maya to create environments and enhance creature movements, working closely with Wētā FX and ILM. Wētā FX’s expertise in creature animation added a sense of organic fluidity to the aliens’ movements, while ILM contributed to the grander large-scale effects, including breathtaking space sequences and explosive action set pieces.

The integration of practical and digital effects extended to the work of Daniel Macarin, Visual Effects Supervisor at Wētā FX, whose contributions were instrumental in bringing the Xenomorphs and offspring to life with the required dramatic level of realism. “A tremendous amount of work went into keeping the balance of practical versus digital effects. What made Fede really happy was that we didn’t take that cheaper, faster way out. We embraced what he had shot,” Macarin states. Using Maya, Houdini and proprietary applications from Wētā, Macarin and his team created fluid, organic movements for the CG creatures, making sure that every twitch and snarl felt as terrifyingly alive as their practical counterparts. Macarin’s team worked closely with the practical effects department, utilizing 3D scans of the animatronics to match textures and scale, and fully integrate the CG creatures into the live-action.

A notable challenge arose when Álvarez requested lighting effects in a highly practical set. “Fede had an idea to make the cargo hold feel more alive by fluctuating all the lights,” Macarin explains. “This meant turning practical effects into digital recreations, which was enormous, but it elevated the scene.” This adaptability, coupled with close collaboration with other departments, enabled Wētā’s team to create immersive visuals that pushed the boundaries on Romulus.

The collaboration extended across disciplines, with every department contributing to the film’s vision. Stunt Coordinator Mark Franklin Hanson played a pivotal role in creating the film’s dynamic action sequences, including zero-gravity stunts that required precise coordination with the VFX team. Hanson’s meticulous planning ensured that the actors’ movements felt natural and believable, even in digitally augmented environments. “Our goal was always to make the action feel grounded,” Hanson says. “Even when we were dealing with aliens and zero gravity, it had to feel real.”

“The beauty of using 3D scanning is that it allows us to capture the detail and scale of our practical builds and translate them perfectly into the digital realm. Nothing gets lost in that transition.”

—Shane Mahan, Special Effects Supervisor/Animatronic Puppeteer, Legacy Effects

Known for his work in the horror genre (Don’t Breathe, Evil Dead), Álvarez approached practical effects with the same care and attention he gave his actors. During the chestburster scenes, he directed the animatronics as if they were performers, guiding their breathing, snarling and other movements to achieve the desired emotional impact. His use of 3ds Max for previsualization allowed the team to plan complex sequences while leaving room for on-set spontaneity. “He’s incredibly collaborative,” Gillis says about Álvarez. “He knows what he wants but is always open to the magic that can happen in the moment.”

The film’s narrative and visual design were deeply informed by its rich legacy. Mahan and MacGowan, both of whom contributed to Aliens, brought their expertise to the adult Xenomorphs, applying modern 3D scanning techniques to refine their designs while preserving the franchise’s signature bio-mechanical aesthetic. Mahan explains, “The beauty of using 3D scanning is that it allows us to capture the detail and scale of our practical builds and translate them perfectly into the digital realm. Nothing gets lost in that transition.” The creatures’ intricate details – every fold, texture and sinew – were preserved, blending physical models that were digitally designed and 3D-printed with advanced digital counterparts. One of the film’s most striking moments – a Xenomorph emerging from a cocoon – spotlighted this total attention to detail. MacGowan reflects, “We knew that animatronics could give us the tactile realism we needed, but combining it with subtle digital enhancements gave the creature a fluidity that made it truly come alive.”

The film’s climactic sequences brought together every aspect of the team’s expertise. A hero shot featuring an alien bursting out of its cocoon required months of planning, with previs helping the team map out camera angles, creature movements and digital environments. The practical puppet, created by Mahan’s team, featured articulated limbs and cable mechanisms that allowed it to interact with its surroundings. Digital enhancements added fluidity and realism to the creature’s movements, creating a terrifying moment. Building on the intensity of the cocoon scene, the birthing sequence involving Robert Bobroczkyi, a towering Romanian basketball player, delivered a visual and emotional gut punch that tapped the team’s collective skills. Bobroczkyi’s unique stature and elongated proportions created an immediate sense of unease, embodying the alien-human hybrid’s eerie otherworldliness. Mahan, MacGowan and the Legacy Effects team crafted a custom suit for the actor that featured integrated animatronics, which allowed for unnervingly precise articulation, from the alien’s subtle twitches to the grotesque unfurling of its limbs.

Barba described how his team worked closely with the practical effects department to enhance the alien’s unsettling emergence. “The real magic came from layering digital enhancements over the incredible work Robert and the Legacy Effects team brought to the scene,” Barba reveals. “The digital touches were minimal but deliberate, amplifying the alien’s unnatural movements and adding a glistening, almost wet texture to the suit that made it feel alive.” The scene also relied heavily on lighting and camera placement to maximize its visual discomfort. Álvarez wanted lighting that accentuated the alien’s grisly features while casting Bobroczkyi’s imposing frame in looming shadows. Combined with tight camera angles, the effect was a claustrophobic, almost voyeuristic experience that immersed audiences in the horror of the transformation. “Robert’s performance was so striking that we knew we didn’t want to overshadow it with too much digital work,” Mahan states. “The key was to let the practical suit and his physicality shine, while the digital elements served as the finishing touch.” The result was a sequence that encapsulated Romulus’s hybrid approach to effects – and stands as one of the film’s most memorable moments, capturing both the raw terror and visual ambition that define the Alien franchise.

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Legacy Effects worked closely with director Fede Álvarez to create the Xenomorph puppets and suits, Cocoon, Rook animatronic puppet and design/makeup effects of the Offspring. To watch a fascinating behind-the-scenes pictorial and video journey through Legacy’s development of the creatures for Alien: Romulus, click here: https://www.legacyefx.com/alien-romulus