Alien: Romulus CGI Improved for Home Release, Fans Remain Unimpressed

*Alien: Romulus* has captivated audiences and critics alike, proving to be a box office sensation and paving the way for a sequel. However, one element of the film drew widespread criticism: the CGI depiction of Ian Holm, who portrayed the android Ash in Ridley Scott's original *Alien* film. Holm, who passed away in 2020, was controversially brought back for *Alien: Romulus* using CGI that many fans found distracting and unrealistic. The backlash was so significant that a popular fan-edit completely removed Holm's character from the movie's narrative.

Director Fede Alvarez acknowledged the CGI issues in an interview with Empire, stating, "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." In response, Alvarez ensured that the CGI was reworked for the home release of *Alien: Romulus*, leaning more on practical puppet work to improve the visual effect. He told Empire, "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."

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Despite Alvarez's efforts, the revised CGI of Ian Holm for the home release has received mixed reactions from fans. While some acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find the depiction distracting. On Reddit, user Kwtwo1983 commented, "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason." Another user, thelastcupoftea, suggested, "Should’ve messed his face up much more," while Smug_amoeba called it "still such a needless and distracting part of the movie." Worried_Bowl_9489 noted, "Both look bad and one is a bit darker lol."

The home release version attempts to minimize the CGI face by focusing more on the practical puppet work mentioned by Alvarez. However, TheUrPigeon criticized the decision to bring back Holm, saying, "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 revitalized the franchise, grossing an impressive $350 million worldwide upon its summer release. In October, 20th Century Studios announced plans for *Alien: Romulus 2*, continuing the story from the first film, with Fede Alvarez potentially returning to direct.