With ‘Alien’ back in theaters, ‘Alien: Romulus’ director teases how the new film connects

Ridley Scott’s “Alien” is back in theaters Friday for its 45th anniversary and to get audiences excited about the new installment coming in August.

The Alien franchise has sunk its teeth into different genres over the years, but for “Alien: Romulus,” filmmaker Fede Álvarez wanted to take it back to its roots: Horror.

“It’s a return to form,” Álvarez told The Associated Press. “At its core, at its heart, it’s a horror thriller.”

The original two films were formative for Álvarez, known for the 2013 “Evil Dead” reboot and the 2016 horror “Don’t Breathe.” He recalled a “primal memory” of watching them on VHS and feeling like he was watching an R-rated Star Wars.