Alien: Romulus captivated both critics and audiences alike, becoming a massive box office success and even inspiring a sequel. However, one aspect of the film drew universal criticism: the CGI recreation of Ian Holm as the android Ash. Holm, who passed away in 2020, had famously portrayed the iconic character in Ridley Scott's original Alien. His digital return in Alien: Romulus, though ambitious, was widely panned for appearing unnatural and distracting. Fans responded by creating popular edits that removed Holm's character entirely from the storyline.

In a statement to Empire, director Fede Alvarez acknowledged the shortcomings of the initial CGI efforts: "We simply didn’t have enough time in post-production to perfect it. Some scenes felt overly reliant on CGI, which detracted from the realism." He confessed, "I wasn’t fully satisfied with certain shots where the digital presence was too apparent."

The Evolution of the Alien Franchise

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For the home release, Alvarez prioritized enhancing the visual effects. He emphasized, "We corrected it. We ensured the final version was polished and faithful to the vision. I convinced the studio to allocate the necessary resources and time to refine the work." As a result, the home version incorporates more practical puppetry alongside CGI, offering a subtler approach.

Despite these improvements, opinions remain divided. Many viewers noticed a slight enhancement but still found Holm's presence jarring. Some questioned the necessity of his inclusion in the first place. Reddit user Kwtwo1983 remarked, "The updated version is better, but it’s still glaringly artificial... the face needed more damage for authenticity." Another commenter, Smug_amoeba, echoed, "It remains an unnecessary and distracting element."

A closer examination reveals the home release focuses more on practical effects, reducing the prominence of CGI. This shift provides a more balanced aesthetic, yet opinions persist on whether it achieves the desired effect.

"The improvement is marginal at best," noted TheUrPigeon. "No matter how much they tweak it, the foundation was weak. They can only do so much."

Nevertheless, Alien: Romulus reinvigorated the series upon its release, earning $350 million globally. In October, 20th Century Studios confirmed plans for a sequel, with Alvarez potentially returning to helm the project.