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Alien: Romulus has now burst into theaters as director Fede Alvarez’s new entry in the beloved franchise hits the big screen. Set on a derelict space station, the new sci-fi horror follows a group of young space colonists as they head on a mission. But when they start scavenging, they soon realize there’s more than meets the eye at the station when they come into contact with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Starring Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, and Spike Fearn, Alien: Romulus is technically the seventh movie in the Alien franchise. However, it's not quite as simple as that suggests. Instead of being a straight sequel or a standalone movie, the film actually slots between some of the most iconic entries in the saga.
But don’t fret, if that seems a bit confusing, we’ve got you covered. Read on for all you need to know about when exactly it takes place on the Alien timeline. We’ve also got guides on how to watch the Alien movies in order and what movies and shows to watch before Alien: Romulus too.
Before we go on, be warned that this article contains major spoilers for Alien: Romulus so make sure you've seen it first.
Where does Alien: Romulus take place on the Alien timeline?
Alien: Romulus is set between the events of Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and James Cameron’s Aliens (1986). It actually takes place precisely 20 years after Alien, meaning it’s 37 years before Aliens. If you’re looking for an exact date, this means it is set in 2142. The entire movie takes place over the space of about a day, with no time skips or implications too.
The implications of the timing means that Ripley is still in hypersleep following the events that took place on the Nostromo in Alien. As a quick refresh, after she makes it onto an escape pod, and manages to subdue the xenomorph, she goes into stasis for 57 years before she is rescued at the start of Aliens.
Now, in Alien: Romulus, the group of space cadets head to a deserted space station they spot floating above them on the Jackson's Star Mining Colony. Their plan is to find pods on there that will take them to a new life on Yvaga. However, when they make it up there, they encounter an android called Science Officer Rook (a variation of Alien's Ash), who reveals what really happened on the Renaissance space station (which is split into two wings, Romulus and Remus).
They were tasked with finding the xenomorph that Ripley shot out into space at the end of Alien. This happened 1770 days before, according to Rook. The mission was was part of Weyland-Yutani's mission to create the "perfect organism" using DNA from the xenomorph in order to try and save humanity. This adds an intriguing development to the plot of Aliens, as when Ripley is rescued, the employees interviewing her at Weyland-Yutani are skeptical of her claims about Alien eggs. Seems like the cover-up runs deep...
Director Alvaraz also previously spoke about the importance of mapping exactly where they are on the saga’s timeline in an interview with Den of Geek. "Technology in the world of Alien can change vastly, but I think it’s not dependent on time, it’s dependent on place, where you are," the director explained. "So the characters of this movie and the world are very blue-collar. The technology is still very low-tech and analog."
Alien: Romulus is out in theaters now – read our Alien: Romulus review. For more, check out our guide to the Alien: Romulus ending explained, our breakdown of that Alien: Romulus cameo, and a primer on how Alien: Romulus connects to Alien and Aliens.
