One of the things I really love Stranger and the sequel is their decidedly low-tech take on high technology: this was a universe of interstellar travel, cryogenic freezing and other wonders, run on 1970s computer technology with big clicky buttons and green-tinted CRT screens, a design decision that was also carried over to the Alien isolation video game.
So it’s nice to see that Alien: Romulus is also committed to the retro-futuristic vibe – so much so that it will be released in December on “fully functioning VHS tape” with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a vintage-style cover.
The news comes through The edgewhich has not been able to confirm how many copies of the tape there will be or how much it will cost. It’s clearly intended as a collector’s item and not something you’ll watch multiple times or not at all.
How to watch Alien: Romulus if you don’t buy the VHS
The era of VHS officially ended in 2008 when JVC stopped making VHS players, but it declined sharply in the 1990s when DVD and later Blu-Ray came along. It is the format in which I viewed the original Stranger Open Aliens too, so it’s very nice to see Romulus also go to the format.
If you prefer to watch the latest Alien movie with more modern home theater technology, it will obviously look much better in the physical 4K UHD Steelbook release on one of the best 4K Blu-ray players – this will be released on December 3, 2024, along with the VHS version (and DVD and regular Blu-ray).
It’ll obviously look better on streaming too – the date hasn’t been announced yet for when it’ll appear on Hulu/Disney Plus, but late November or early December seems likely, possibly alongside the physical releases.
But it’s not about what it looks like best on, it’s all about how it looks most atmospheric on. What could be more atmospheric than starting this film with the rumble of the videocassette player pulling in this film.