Since its release, moviegoers have been buzzing about the terrifying twist in Alien: Romulus. While the movie is largely a return to form for the franchise, its memorable final battle introduces an all-new evolution for the iconic xenomorph species: The Offspring. A half-human/half-alien hybrid born after Kay (Isabella Merced) interjects herself with xenomorph DNA in an attempt to save her child, the creature is among the most horrific to grace the screen in some time. But, while the Offspring is one of the franchise’s most original evolutions, its existence is the product of another popular story. Director Fede Àlvarez recently revealed that the video game, The Last of Us 2, played a part in Kay’s arc. While the zombie-based game may seem like a strange sort of muse for an Alien movie, the two stories share far more in common than many realize, and would, ironically, cross paths more than once.
Fede Àlvarez Was Inspired by ‘The Last of Us 2’ for 'Alien: Romulus'
Throughout the run of Alien: Romulus, Àlvarez has been generous in answering fan questions. He recently took to X, the app formerly known as Twitter, to offer insight into developing Kay’s character, saying: “Fun fact: I was playing #TheLastOfUs2 while writing #AlienRomulus The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too.” The Last of Us, both as a game and as an adaptation, has been wildly successful. The game’s sequel remains celebrated for its many accomplishments, and Àlvarez's comment proves that its story continues to compel players (and soon, viewers) — so much so its fingerprint is felt in one of this year's biggest theatrical releases. And this wouldn't be the only time the two franchises cross over.
In the same tweet, Àlvarez explained an even further connection: “Then I cast Isabella Merced to play Kay…. A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show…. True story.” There’s no question that Merced was perfect for the role. Despite her limited screen time, the actress made Kay the most relatable character in the movie. She is both a victim and an active player in her fate, doing whatever it takes to protect her child. Of course, that protection ends up being her folly, but she plays the role with such anxiety and determination that she avoids becoming a typical horror cliché, and remains tragically human. While fate may have caused story and casting similarities, the seemingly unrelated franchises have shared thematic connections as well.
The Alien franchise has a long, and epic history. Similarly, The Last of Us has garnered praise since the original game was released more than a decade ago. While the Alien films revolve around intergalactic space travel, experimentation, the evils of capitalism, and, of course, aliens, The Last of Us is a zombie-style epic that follows mankind’s last hope following a devastating global pandemic. While these topics may seem fundamentally different, intrinsically, they’re incredibly similar. Both are set in futuristic worlds where survival is the only goal and both have created iconic horror characters. Both The Offspring and the Bloaters are pure nightmare fuel. Then, of course, there are the human characters. Both franchises boast casts that are relatable and real, despite their larger-than-life circumstances. Indeed, their connections run deep, both on and off the screen.
Alien: Romulus terrified audiences with its introduction of the Offspring, but it may never have come to pass had Àlvarez not been inspired by The Last of Us 2. While there was plenty of coincidence when it came to the production of the film and its connection to the video game/series franchise, the two properties have a lot of the same great (not to mention horrifying) qualities.
