One classic sci-fi franchise is officially dominating the streaming charts, including on some surprising platforms. In the latest round of the streaming wars, Disney’s Alien: Romulus is officially overtaking one of the biggest franchises of all time.
Alien: Romulus just premiered on HBO Max, meeting immediate success. According to new data from FlixPatrol, the 2024 revival of Ridley Scott’s iconic Alien franchise debuted in the No. 1 spot on HBO Max’s worldwide charts, beating out the No. 2 movie, Jurassic World: Rebirth, by a wide margin.
This streaming battle is especially surprising given that neither Alien: Romulus nor Jurassic World: Rebirth is a Warner Bros. property. The Alien franchise was originally owned by 20th Century Fox, which is now a subsidiary of Walt Disney Pictures. Jurassic World, on the other hand, is owned by Universal. From studios that are known competitors of Warner Bros., it is unusual for either film to be available on HBO Max, yet they are dominating the rest of the platform’s regular library.
The Alien Franchise Resurfaced on HBO Max
Alien: Romulus isn’t the only installment of the acclaimed sci-fi horror franchise to recently appear on HBO Max’s charts. 1979’s Aliens, the original entry in the franchise, briefly held the No. 3 slot on HBO Max before falling to No. 6. James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, Aliens, started out at No. 5, but dropped off the charts altogether.
More than forty years after Ridley Scott’s Alien, the new sequel helped revive the franchise for a new generation. Alien: Romulus was a massive success, earning mostly positive reactions from critics and audiences (80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.1/10 on IMDb). It went on to achieve a respectable $350 million box office haul that telegraphed to Disney that the world is ready for more Alien.
What’s Next for the Alien Franchise?
A xenomorph studies a specimen from Alien EarthImage via FX
Alien: Romulus officially resurrects the Alien franchise, hopefully setting up plenty more installments over the next several years. The project that audiences are most excited about is an untitled direct sequel, which is currently in pre-production. Romulus director Fede Álvarez will not helm the project, but is involved as a producer.
Additionally, Alien recently made the jump to television for the first time with the FX original series, Alien: Earth, created by Noah Hawley. The first season was a massive success, and a second season is officially on the way.
In addition to these confirmed projects, several other potential spinoffs within the Alien universe may yet see the light of day. Included among these is a film featuring Sigourney Weaver’s return as Ellen Ripley, which the actress confirmed is in early development in 2025. Ridley Scott has also voiced his desire to return to the franchise, though there are no official plans to do so yet.
Given the recent success of the Predator franchise, there have also been rumors of a third Alien vs. Predator film in the near future. Disney has yet to confirm any such plans. Even so, with both franchises performing remarkably well, another battle between the xenomorphs and Yautja seems inevitable.
Alien: Romulus is available to stream on Hulu and HBO Max.
Release Date
August 16, 2024
Runtime
119 Minutes
Director
Fede Alvarez
