Alien: Romulus
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Despite a significant budget of $80.0M, Alien: Romulus became a financial success, earning $350.9M worldwide—a 339% return.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 15 wins & 54 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Alien: Romulus (2024) reveals precise narrative design, characteristic of Fede Álvarez's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 59 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Rain Carradine
Andy
Tyler
Kay
Bjorn
Navarro
Main Cast & Characters
Rain Carradine
Played by Cailee Spaeny
A young woman working in harsh conditions who joins a mission to escape her indentured servitude and find a better life.
Andy
Played by David Jonsson
Rain's adoptive synthetic brother, a damaged android programmed to protect her above all else.
Tyler
Played by Archie Renaux
Rain's ex-boyfriend and mission leader who needs crew members for a dangerous salvage operation.
Kay
Played by Isabela Merced
Tyler's younger sister who is pregnant and desperately seeking escape from the colony.
Bjorn
Played by Spike Fearn
Tyler's cousin, hostile and distrustful of synthetics, especially Andy.
Navarro
Played by Aileen Wu
Bjorn's girlfriend and pilot of the salvage mission, practical and capable.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Rain Carradine works in the dark, oppressive mining colony of Jackson's Star, trapped in indentured servitude to Weyland-Yutani with no hope of escape as she tends to her synthetic brother Andy.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Tyler reveals they need Andy's synthetic access codes to infiltrate the abandoned Renaissance station, forcing Rain to choose between her brother's safety and their only chance at freedom.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The crew boards the Renaissance station and splits up to retrieve the cryo-fuel and cryopods, fully committing to the salvage mission despite ominous signs of catastrophe and the discovery of facehugger specimens in stasis., moving from reaction to action.
At 58 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Tyler is killed by the xenomorph, and Rain must install Rook's chip into Andy to access higher station functions, fundamentally changing her brother's personality from loyal companion to corporate-programmed synthetic who prioritizes the mission above human life., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 89 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Bjorn is killed by xenomorphs. Kay, desperate and dying, injects herself with the xenomorph compound. The station begins its final descent into the planetary rings, and Rain is separated from Andy, seemingly losing both her brother and her humanity., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 94 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Rain and Andy fight through the xenomorph hive to reach the escape shuttle. Kay gives birth to a grotesque human-xenomorph hybrid that attacks them. Rain battles the creature in zero gravity as the station explodes, ultimately ejecting it into space and escaping with Andy and the cryopods., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Alien: Romulus's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Alien: Romulus against these established plot points, we can identify how Fede Álvarez utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Alien: Romulus within the horror genre.
Fede Álvarez's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Fede Álvarez films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Alien: Romulus takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Fede Álvarez filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye. For more Fede Álvarez analyses, see Don't Breathe, Evil Dead.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Rain Carradine works in the dark, oppressive mining colony of Jackson's Star, trapped in indentured servitude to Weyland-Yutani with no hope of escape as she tends to her synthetic brother Andy.
Theme
Tyler tells Rain, "We take care of our own," establishing the film's thematic conflict between corporate exploitation and found family loyalty, and between survival at any cost versus humanity.
Worldbuilding
Rain discovers her contract has been extended, trapping her on the sunless mining planet. Tyler and his crew propose escaping to Yvaga, a frontier world with sunlight, by salvaging cryostasis equipment from a derelict Weyland-Yutani space station in orbit.
Disruption
Tyler reveals they need Andy's synthetic access codes to infiltrate the abandoned Renaissance station, forcing Rain to choose between her brother's safety and their only chance at freedom.
Resistance
Rain reluctantly agrees to the plan. The crew travels to the Renaissance station, discovering it's falling toward the planet's rings with only 36 hours before destruction. Andy successfully accesses the station, but they discover the derelict holds dark secrets.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The crew boards the Renaissance station and splits up to retrieve the cryo-fuel and cryopods, fully committing to the salvage mission despite ominous signs of catastrophe and the discovery of facehugger specimens in stasis.
Mirror World
Rain and Andy discover Rook, a damaged synthetic who reveals the station's true purpose: Weyland-Yutani was harvesting xenomorphs to extract their DNA for human evolution, representing the thematic opposite of Rain's humanity-first values.
Premise
The facehuggers escape containment and hunt the crew through the station. Navarro is impregnated, and a chestburster violently erupts from her. The crew fights through swarms of facehuggers and encounters their first fully-grown xenomorph as the station deteriorates.
Midpoint
Tyler is killed by the xenomorph, and Rain must install Rook's chip into Andy to access higher station functions, fundamentally changing her brother's personality from loyal companion to corporate-programmed synthetic who prioritizes the mission above human life.
Opposition
The transformed Andy follows Rook's programming, making cold tactical decisions that endanger Rain and Kay. The xenomorphs multiply and pursue them through flooding corridors. Kay is revealed to be pregnant, and Rook offers her a xenomorph-compound serum that could save them but at a terrible cost.
Collapse
Bjorn is killed by xenomorphs. Kay, desperate and dying, injects herself with the xenomorph compound. The station begins its final descent into the planetary rings, and Rain is separated from Andy, seemingly losing both her brother and her humanity.
Crisis
Rain confronts the reality that Andy's corporate programming has overridden his loyalty to her. She must choose between destroying Rook's influence and losing the tactical advantages his programming provides for their survival against the xenomorph swarm.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Rain and Andy fight through the xenomorph hive to reach the escape shuttle. Kay gives birth to a grotesque human-xenomorph hybrid that attacks them. Rain battles the creature in zero gravity as the station explodes, ultimately ejecting it into space and escaping with Andy and the cryopods.