"Alien: Romulus Fixes Ian Holm's CGI, Fans Still Unimpressed"

*Alien: Romulus* has not only captivated audiences and critics but also achieved significant box office success, paving the way for a sequel. However, the film faced widespread criticism for its use of CGI to bring back the late Ian Holm, who originally portrayed the android Ash in Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi horror *Alien*. Holm's CGI appearance in *Alien: Romulus* was met with disapproval for its distracting and unrealistic quality, so much so that a popular fan-edit completely removed his character from the narrative.

Director Fede Alvarez acknowledged the shortcomings of the CGI 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." In response to the criticism, Alvarez and his team revamped the Ian Holm CGI for the home release of the movie. "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," Alvarez insisted.

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For the home release, the approach shifted more towards practical puppet work rather than relying solely on CGI. Despite these efforts, fans remain divided on the effectiveness of the changes. While some acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find Holm's appearance distracting and question the necessity of his return to the franchise.

Alien Romulus - Rook CGI Updates BluRay vs Digital
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On Reddit, fans shared their thoughts on the updated CGI. "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason," remarked Kwtwo1983. Thelastcupoftea suggested, "Should’ve messed his face up much more," while expressing disappointment with the visual quality on both theatrical and Blu-ray releases. Smug_amoeba called it "a needless and distracting part of the movie," and Worried_Bowl_9489 noted, "Both look bad and one is a bit darker lol."

The comparison between the theatrical and home release versions shows a shift towards showcasing more of the practical puppet work, with less emphasis on the CGI face. However, 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. The film's success has led 20th Century Studios to announce plans for *Alien: Romulus 2*, which will continue the story from the first movie, with Fede Alvarez potentially returning to direct.