Alien: Romulus Improves Ian Holm's CGI for Home Release, Fans Remain Unimpressed

*Alien: Romulus* was a major success both with critics and fans, and its impressive box office haul has paved the way for a sequel. However, one aspect of the film received widespread criticism: the CGI used to bring back Ian Holm's character, Ash. Holm, who passed away in 2020, had originally played the android Ash in Ridley Scott’s iconic sci-fi horror film, *Alien*. His controversial return in *Alien: Romulus* through CGI was met with disdain from audiences who found it distracting and unrealistic. The backlash was so significant that a popular fan edit completely removed Holm's character from the film'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.” Responding to the criticism, Alvarez took steps to improve the CGI for the home release of *Alien: Romulus*. He insisted, “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.”

For the home release, the focus shifted more towards using practical puppet work rather than CGI. However, despite these efforts, fans remain divided on the results. Many acknowledge a slight improvement but still find Holm's appearance distracting. On Reddit, user Kwtwo1983 remarked, “Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason.” Thelastcupoftea added, “Should’ve messed his face up much more. It looked awful in theaters and it looked awful when I rewatched it on Blu-ray.” Smug_amoeba commented, “Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie…” and Worried_Bowl_9489 noted, “Both look bad and one is a bit darker lol.”

Comparisons between the theatrical and home release versions show a noticeable shift towards showcasing more of the practical puppet work mentioned by Alvarez, with less emphasis on the CGI face. Yet, some fans like TheUrPigeon remain critical, stating, “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* successfully revitalized the franchise, grossing an impressive $350 million globally upon its summer release. In October, 20th Century Studios announced plans for *Alien: Romulus 2*, which would continue the story of the first film, with Fede Alvarez potentially returning to direct.

The Alien Movies in Chronological Order

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