Alien: Romulus Xenomorph analysis and comparison

Apparently it's a practical suit (well I guess in some instances/to some extent maybe) and judging by a few reactions, the overall vibe of the scenes were old-school Alien, so based on those factors I think it'll be plantigrade legs. 

I would personally prefer digitigrade legs though as it adds a certain aesthetic of "animalistic aggressiveness" for the lack of better words.

From the looks of it, it's definitely a man in a suit.

If the Xenomorph has digitigrade legs, but it's still a man in a practical suit, this is possible

Interview with Isabela Merced, her comments on the Romulus Xenomorphs

https://collider.com/alien-romulus-xenomorphs-isabela-merced/

"The team at Legacy really helped us out with it. I was surrounded by pros. The interesting thing is that it was set up for streaming until the middle of filming. Because Fede Alvarez is the nerdy fan that he is of Alien , he really was vouching for this movie. He actually cut the teaser trailer himself, which is very rare. Usually, studios handle that. So, I think it was an absolute honor. I learned so much. Shout out to the crew in Budapest. They were amazing. They were top tier, for sure."

"Definitely seeing the Xeno for the first time. They used a robot for that. And also, they used a human being, like a really tall person, in the costume and special effects. We had two Xenos on set, at all times, and they were just terrifying."

"The detail is incredible. I like the Xeno nails. That’s my favorite part, the chrome nails. I’m gonna get chrome nails for the premiere. You’ll see me with them all around. They were incredible."

"They used a robot for that"

Interesting, so animatronics then perhaps? And coupled with the suit I get the impression they aren't leaning too heavily on a CGI xeno.

Close-up shots of either animatronics or a man in a suit and some complicated shots will be computer-generated, much like in Alien Resurrection or AVP. So no need to worry.

Since they made actual Xenomorph suits, I'd sell my soul for ads like these

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3yZ6BupKQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVfo0a4Sj6A

I've totally missed those commercials! Who wouldn't like another lighthearted Alien ad before we're scared shitless during the Romulus screening? Make it happen <3 in a double sense.

(I bet Japan would do a kickass job with a totally bonkers clip, complete with a rocket-equipped mecha, a dude dressed up as a giant Tofu stick chased by the hungry alien, and a narrator screaming his lungs out. I'd buy that for a dollar!)

New image!

Strong Alien: Isolation vibes

Source

Nice, thanks for sharing! A xeno once again lurking in low-visibility environments, the perfect set up for scares! 

Maybe we'll get some Alien Isolation-esque POV scenes while the protagonists are hiding. That was one of the most terrifying aspects about the game imo, stuck in a room under a table with only one way out (medical level for instance) and the xeno's lanky legs walking past the table, in and out of the room at irregular intervals. Slightest mistake and it's game over, at least on nightmare mode. 

New one via Entertainment Weekly!

Source

Hard to see what's in the background, but something tells me it's a hive.

Also, according to Entertainment Weekly: "Alien: Romulus is set between the events of Alien and Aliens, and Alvarez was a stickler for communicating that through specific details. The gun that Spaeny is wielding in the photo above, for instance, is meant to be halfway between the flamethrower Ripley wielded against the original Xenomorph and the pulse rifle used in Aliens.

The same scrutiny was applied to the Xenomorph’s design, which Alvarez promises is closer to H.R. Giger’s original creation than any other iteration."

It looks angry, hungry and bitter... perfect organism.

I hope this movie is good, we need a good alien movie

Another exclusive production still released by Fandango, as I suspected months ago, there will be a hive.

The ovomorph?

I like the Xenomorph design so far.

Screenshots from the new trailer

W-Y company finds the big chap?

Yes, digitigrade legs.

Brightness up, the scar on the dome is much more visible, as reported months ago.

This Xeno will go by the nickname "Scar".

I guess that "rock" caught by the ship is the Big Chap in a fossilized state? 

"I want what's coming to me...this station...and everything in it"

This could be the old Big Chap waking up and emerging from its frozen cocoon. It also sort of looks like an ovomorph but that process would imply development and incubation of a facehugger right? Unless we see a different approach to the cycle in Romulus. 

Not a fan of the unhinging jaws of either Resurrection's nor AVP's xenomorph. Simply because the original xenos from Alien, Aliens, and Alien 3 lacked them.

 Not to double post but due to not being able to edit my comment which I constantly keep forgetting.

The unhinging snake-like jaws and the digitigrade feet just removes the hybrid angle of the xenomorphs. The drone/warriors are supposed to take on traits from their host correct? Then how come it has snake jaws and bird legs? This is the main reason why I disliked the designs in Alien Resurrection and AVP! because the human traits are absent.

According to Mike from Mike's Monsters, who has seen the film's rough cut, Big Chap isn't shown in the trailer and that's a different Xenomorph awakening from its pod, followed by its bent fingers snapping. Mike also added it's a new moment for the franchise, seeing what comes after the Chestburster.

I think it's better not to show Big Chap in any trailers, if the leaks are true.

Correct, I watched Mike's trailer breakdown you linked. A good video mentioning interesting stuff without spoiling anything. 

So the facehuggers in the incubation room aren't hatched from eggs but from pods and we'll find out how that's explained in the movie. Maybe it's related to the black pathogen we've seen in Prometheus and Alien Covenant, although David is not present at all apparently. Fine by me. Anyway, the acid blood floating in Zero G looked terrifying and the last scene is especially interesting where the Xeno doesn't immediately attack Rain. Is she carrying a chest burster perhaps? And the shot of the whole station falling into orbit reminds me of Sevastopol's same or similar fate in Alien Isolation. Love it! 

@Xenotaris Going by the "leaks", these xenomorphs aren't the original ones from the Derelict. They were created by the Weyland-Yutani scientists experimenting on Big Chap, so they might have other characteristics that separate them from the classic Xenos. 

Xenomorph Drones from Alien: Isolation also had digitigrade legs.

Seems like the company finds the meteor, cuts it open, and finds the poor Big Chap inside.

Also in this shot, Andy looks like he's holding samples of the black goo that he supposedly found in the Romulus lab. I wonder why.

Yes that has to be it! The picture with the personnel in hazmat suits seem to be moving what could very much be that same rock cut open judging by its shape even though it's a dark shot. Super hyped!!

As for the cylinder, it does indeed seem to include vials of black goo. I can't see any other explanation. Nice find!

The blue mist reminds me of the same effect in Alien. Now what was the purpose of it in the derelict? To regulate temperature for the eggs? It did react to Kane who was biological, and so is the black goo. Andy on the other hand, is an android. Maybe he notices a reaction by chance or maybe he attempts to trigger/test something on purpose. Is Andy trustworthy btw? He seems nice in the trailers but you never know with these androids.

Loving the new xeno design so far! Should it have a different nickname though? “Scar” is the same as the predator from AVP. Also when do you guys think NECA will reveal the Alien Romulus figures? I know I’m preordering those asap! 

They better not be the "derelict" xenomorphs. 

Yeah I've been meaning to find a mod that corrects the Sevastopol xeno's legs 

@Xenotaris Good luck with finding it, the devs went with the digitigrade look for animation purposes.

@FarthestNormal I'm definitely getting the NECA figure. If Big Chap is indeed in the film, I wonder if they will do a battle-damaged figure of him, with that meteor capsule, maybe if the figures sold well. The Prometheus and Covenant lines did not sell well, and NECA discontinued them.

@Neomorph If I recall, the blue laser/mist was also at the beginning of Aliens when Ripley was found.