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“Fede, what can I say? It’s fucking great," Alien co-creator/director Ridley Scott told Fede Álvarez, director of the upcoming sequel Alien: Romulus according to The Hollywood Reporter. If that's not a ringing, endorsement, than what is?

Especially after you watch the first Alien: Romulus trailer.

Since it's debut in 1979, the Alien movie franchise has been a storied arena - featuring the big-stage debuts of Hollywood heavyweights like Scott, as well as Sigourney Weaver, James Cameron, David Fincher, and more. But among the mountainous heights of the franchise there were also calamitous lows, but Scott - who was brought back to the franchise in 2012 as the lead producer (and sometimes director) is aching to avoid that - and has apparently done so in hiring Don't Breathe co-writer/director Fede Álvarez for this fall's new sequel.

"When Ridley read [the script], he felt that It was completely different than the other movies," Álvarez says. "It had all the DNA of the originals and a lot of [the other movies], but it automatically felt different and fresh, mostly because kids that age approach problems in a completely different way than adults do and professional adults do."

"At the story level, we first told him what I was planning to do, and then when he read it, I discussed the script with him. And later, when he watched the movie, I discussed my cut with him. So I consider each one of those moments and creative conversations with Ridley to be a highlight of my career and my life."

As soon as the movie had finished filming (but even before the visual effects had been completed), Álvarez screened it for Scott - and apparently he loved it.

As did James Cameron.

While best known for his work on Terminator, Avatar, and Titanic, Cameron got his start by directing the first Alien sequel, Aliens, in 1986. And when he learned Alvarez was directing an Alien movie himself, Cameron reached out.

"James Cameron is also someone I’ve met through the years, and when he learned that I was doing it, we started chatting about it," said Álvarez. "So I also had that conversation with him at the script level. He’s now seen the movie and loved it."

Álvarez said that that both directors provided "notes and comments" about the director's cut of Alien: Romulus they watched - and they hit on completely different things.

"They wouldn’t repeat a note. Whatever Ridley said, Cameron said something different. They were all super smart comments, notes and thoughts on the film and the filmmaking, et cetera, but both of them have completely different approaches," says Álvarez. "So the fantastic part of being able to make this film is to have the chance to work with them."

Alien: Romulus opens in theaters August 16, 2024.

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Confused about how many Alien movies there are? Here's a guide to how to watch all the Alien movies (including the Predator crososvers).