Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus will make its UK premiere at the revamped Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) in August.
The highly anticipated reboot of Ridley Scott’s horror franchise will open the festival’s new Midnight Madness strand on August 15.
20th Century Studios will release the film in the UK and Ireland on August 16, the same day as its U.S. launch.
Produced by Scott and cowritten and directed by Alvarez, the film stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu star.
Billed as a return to the franchise’s roots, the film follows a group of young space colonizers who, while scavenging on a derelict space station, come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
“We are absolutely ecstatic to be the UK premiere host for this viciously entertaining new vision for the Alien franchise from one of the most exciting horror filmmakers currently working,” said EIFF Director, Paul Ridd
“Fede Alvarez brings a sense of tradition and legacy, as well as gory originality and swagger to the table, and we can think of no better way to open our Midnight Madness programme than with this showstopping new film. Plus knowing that Ridley Scott’s seminal original ALIEN also played a midnight UK premiere at the Festival back in 1979 is the icing on a spectacular, albeit very gnarly, cake. Bring it on.”
Former Picturehouse Cinema acquisitions exec Ridd is gearing up for this first edition of EIFF at the helm, with the festival undergoing a revamp after a difficult few years.
The new Midnight Madness strand will run throughout the festival, to close with Coralie Fargeat’s dark body horror The Substance on August 20.
The festival will also host a special Midnight Madness preview screening of Chris Nash’s arthouse slasher, In A Violent Nature.
EIFF has recently previously announced The Outrun by Nora Fingscheidt’s (System Crasher) as its opening film. The adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s best-selling memoir about her battle with alcoholism, stars Saoirse Ronan (Ladybird, Brooklyn) as the Scottish journalist and writer.
The EIFF will run from August 15 to 21. The full program will be unveiled on July 10.
