Alien: Romulus, a critical and commercial success, has already greenlit 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 its distracting and unrealistic appearance. The poor CGI was so noticeable that a popular fan edit entirely removed Holm's character.
Director Fede Alvarez addressed the issue, acknowledging time constraints during post-production prevented perfecting the CGI. He stated to Empire magazine that he wasn't fully satisfied with some shots, and understood the negative reactions.
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For the home release, Alvarez secured additional funding to refine the CGI, shifting towards a greater emphasis on practical puppetry. While some improvements are noted, many fans still find the result distracting, with some questioning the necessity of Holm's inclusion in the film.
A Reddit thread (u/Davidedby in LV426) showcases comparisons, revealing that the home release utilizes more shots of the practical puppet, minimizing the prominent CGI face. Comments range from noting a slight improvement to maintaining strong criticism of the effect's overall quality and the decision to use Holm's likeness.
Despite the CGI controversy, Alien: Romulus's box office success ($350 million globally) has spurred development of Alien: Romulus 2, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
