Alien: Classic Holm CGI Restored for Home Release

Alien: Romulus, a critical and box office success, is already slated for a sequel. However, one element consistently criticized was 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 drew widespread criticism for being distracting and unrealistic, prompting a popular fan edit to remove his character entirely.

Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, acknowledging time constraints in post-production hindered the quality of the CGI. He stated in an Empire interview that improvements were made for the home release, shifting from heavily CGI-reliant shots to incorporate more practical puppetry.

Alien Film Chronological Order

9 Images

Alvarez confirmed the home release features refined CGI, achieved by allocating additional resources to improve the visual effects. While some consider the improvements marginal, with the CGI still appearing unnatural, others question the necessity of Holm's inclusion altogether.

Reddit discussions highlight this mixed reaction. Users like Kwtwo1983 described the result as "awfully uncanny," while others echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the distracting nature of the CGI, regardless of the enhancements. A common thread remains the debate over the decision to digitally recreate Holm's likeness.

Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the CGI, Alien: Romulus enjoyed considerable box office success, grossing $350 million globally. A sequel, Alien: Romulus 2, is currently under consideration by 20th Century Studios, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.