Alien: Romulus fixed a CGI issue for the home video release

Key Points

• The home video release of Alien: Romulus features improved CGI for the android character Rook.
• The initial CGI was criticized for being unconvincing, especially compared to the original portrayal of the character in Alien.
• For the home release, the filmmakers reverted to using a physical puppetry animatronic, based on Ian Holm's head from Lord of the Rings.

Detailed Summary

• Director Fede Álvarez admitted that the initial CGI for the character Rook (Ian Holm's face) was subpar due to time constraints.
• With the studio's approval, Álvarez and his team spent additional time and resources to enhance the CGI effects for the home video release.
• Shane Mahan created an animatronic puppet of Ian Holm using a head cast from Lord of the Rings, reducing the reliance on CGI.
• The resulting improvements were particularly noticeable when the animatronic was used instead of the enhanced CGI.

Conclusions

• The home video release of Alien: Romulus addressed the criticism regarding the unconvincing CGI.
• The use of physical puppetry, alongside improved CGI, resulted in a more polished and satisfying portrayal of the android character.
• This demonstrates the filmmakers' commitment to refining their work and addressing audience feedback.