‘Alien: Romulus’ Looks to Cap Off Disney’s Resurgent Summer With Potential $40 Million Opening

After a steady takeoff in May with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” Disney has been flying high at the box office as the first studio with back-to-back $1 billion hits with “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Now it’s looking for a smooth landing with 20th Century’s “Alien: Romulus.”

Set between the first two — and most popular — installments of the legendary horror franchise, “Romulus” sees the “Alien” series entrusted to “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe” director Fede Alvarez, who has made it a point to show off his film’s use of practical sets and effects wherever possible.

That approach came with a reported production budget of $80 million before marketing. That’s lower than the $97 million for Ridley Scott’s “Alien: Covenant,” which grossed $74.2 million domestic and $240 million worldwide. If “Romulus” can match that record, it will be a modest win for Disney after a resurgent summer.

In the latter half of 2023, Disney suffered through a series of misfires that fell short of their pandemic-inflated budgets (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”) or of their franchise track records (“The Marvels” and “Wish.”) The studio then had to exit the first quarter of 2024 due to strike-related delays, but its strong summer has allowed it to turn a corner in a major way.

For “Alien: Romulus” to add to that winning streak, it will need to first win over hardcore “Alien” fans. If early reviews are any indication, that will be the case. The film currently has an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, with the consensus being that Alvarez, while not necessarily pushing the envelope the way James Cameron’s beloved “Aliens” or David Fincher’s polarizing “Alien 3” did, made an effective horror film that stays true to the spirit of Scott’s original film while giving it a modern update.

If “Alien” fans agree, “Romulus” could be in for a stronger-than-expected start. Tracking currently has the film making between $28-35 million this weekend, with the top end coming close to the $36 million opening of “Covenant.” But rival distributors believe that the film could top $40 million this weekend, and this strong critical reception increases the likelihood of that.

Whether or not it can leg out will come down to how well interest in the film can be raised beyond the core fanbase, which given its roots in 1979 skews older and male. We’ve seen with films like “Scream VI” how aging horror IP can find new life among moviegoers who weren’t born when they first hit theaters, and “Romulus” will be the first “Alien” film that most Gen Z adults can watch in theaters.

If Zoomer horror fans are willing to give the Xenomorphs a try, then the elder statesmen of nightmare movie monsters may find new life. That’s the best-case scenario for Disney, which wants to keep “Alien” going with an FX prequel series called “Alien: Earth” from “Fargo” creator Noah Hawley, set to debut in 2025.

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