The Set chronologically between the events of Alien and Aliens, the film follows a group of six young adults as they try to scavenge supplies for a lengthy cosmic trip from a derelict space station. However, they're unaware the station is abandoned and in ruins because of the creatures trapped aboard, and they're more than eager to lash out at any visitors.

One of the often overlooked strengths of Alien was the way the film bucked traditional sci-fi castings and instead focused on a diverse collection of actors that brought a grounded humanity to their performances. This is something Alien: Romulus looked to replicate, keeping much of the film's focus centered solely on the central cast of six young adults trying to make their way across the cosmos to a brighter future.

Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine

Born July 24, 1998

Active Since: 2014

Actor: Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Cailee Spaeny is one of Hollywood's most compelling up-and-coming stars. Making her screen debut in the 2016 short film Counting to 1000, she rose in prominence in 2018 for playing important roles in Pacific Rim: Uprising, Bad Times at the El Royale, and On the Basis of Sex. She also received multiple award nominations for her performance as Priscilla Presley in 2023's Priscilla. Alien: Romulus is her second blockbuster of 2024, as she also played the young photojournalist Jessie in Civil War.

Character: Cailee Spaeny plays Rain Carradine in Alien: Romulus, who is effectively the film's central protagonist. A low-level worker in a mining world controlled by Weyland-Yutani, the orphaned Rain dreams of relocating herself and her "brother" Andy to a more hospitable world. Although she's desperate for a new start, her loyalty to the other people in her life leads her to endanger herself several times throughout the film.

David Jonsson as Andy

Born In 1993

Active Since: 2016

Actor: Growing up in part of the London Newham borough known as Custom House, David Jonsson has been steadily earning accolades since his stage debut in 2017. After being praised for his acting on shows like Endeavour and Deep State as well as his writing for the stage, Jonsson's big breakout role was Gus in the HBO/BBC collaboration, Industry. Throughout this, the actor has also retained a focus on theatre, even earning a Black British Theatre Award for Best Male Actor in a Play, for his work in and breathe....

Character: In Alien: Romulus, David Jonsson plays Andy. Andy is Rain's "brother," a synthetic that has been programmed by Rain's deceased parents to watch after her. A sweet-natured but frequently malfunctioning android, Andy's gentle nature is subverted during the mission onto the ravaged space station. Acquiring the programming of another synthetic upgrades his internal servers but also gives Andy a more ruthless and coldly logical approach to problem-solving.

Archie Renaux as Tyler

Born November 22, 1997

Active Since: 2016

Actor: Born in the town of Kingston within the greater London area, Archie Renaux was initially a model for fashion designers like Nasir Mazhar and Moss Bros. Making his screen debut in 2018's Feline, his big break came with the role Leo Day in the BBC drama miniseries, Gold Digger. Renaux has since appeared in several films and shows, including Morbius, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and The Other Zoey. He also starred as Mal in Shadow and Bone, the fan-favorite Netflix series.

Character: Tyler is the informal leader of the teens that Rain and Andy work alongside in Alien: Romulus. Kay's older brother and a cousin to Bjorn, Tyler is a cool and collected figure in the narrative. He's teased as a potential romantic interest for Rain and establishes himself as an empathic character who doesn't let the chaos around him turn him against the other characters.

Isabela Merced as Kay

Born July 10, 2001

Active Since: 2013

Actor: Born in Columbus, Ohio, Isabela Merced made her Broadway stage debut at age 10 in a production of Evita. Merded's big break came with the role of CJ Martin in the Nickelodeon series 100 Things to Do Before High School. After several projects with Nickelodeon (including playing Dora the Explorer in the live-action Dora and the Lost City of Gold), she's been expanding her scope in recent years by appearing in films like Sweet Girl, Madame Web, and Turtles All The Way Down.

She's set to have a big 2025, where she'll appear as Dina in The Last of Us and as Hawkgirl in the James Gunn-directed Superman.

Character: Isabela Merced plays Kay in Alien: Romulus. The most soft-spoken and kindly of the crew that Rain and Andy team up with, Kay relies heavily on her brother Tyler for . However, other circumstances in their lives come to a head in the film, leaving Kay in a uniquely dangerous position.

Spike Fearn as Bjorn

Born In 2000

Active Since: 2019

Actor: Spike Fearn was born in Leicestershire, England, and has increasingly been adding to his resume in recent years. The actor appeared in minor roles in films like The Batman or recurring characters in shows like Newark, Newark. His big breakout role came with the series Tell Me Everything, where he plays Louis. Alien: Romulus isn't his only big role in 2024, either, as he also stars in Back to Black as Tyler James.

Character: Bjorn is a cousin to Tyler and Kay in Alien: Romulus, and one of the people who goes on the scavenging mission to the ruined space station. Unlike the rest of the crew, Bjorn is openly hostile to Andy, adding a layer of inter-character tension that spills over into the chaos of the film's second half. Bjorn is a committed friend, whose short-sighted decisions can cause more strife than they intend.

Aileen Wu as Navarro

Age Unknown

Active Since: 2021

Actor: Born in Canada, Aileen Wu is an actor and producer. Previously, her work has been largely focused on producing short films like Little Manila, Corpse Pose, and Karak. She was an executive producer on the TV movie Away From Home, and starred in Closing Doors (which she also produced). While her performance in Alien: Romulus is her big feature break, she's also set to appear in the film The Chinatown Diner.

Character: Alieen Wu plays Navarro in Alien: Romulus. Navarro is the pilot of the spaceship that the young adults use to venture to the space station in Alien Romulus. A clever pilot, her connection to Bjorn prompts her to abandon her post and throw herself into dangerous situations.

Who Can Return For A Potential Alien: Romulus Sequel?

Following the success of Alien: Romulus, a sequel is already being discussed. However, given that this is an Alien movie, it is not surprising that few of the Alien: Romulus cast were left alive to return in for a second outing. The ending of Alien: Romulus saw Rain as the sole human survivor of the run-in with the Xenomorphs and her android protector Andy left badly damaged. However, Rain makes the promise that she will find a way to repair Andy as they prepare for their long voyage to Yvaga III.

Indeed, Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are expected to return for the next Alien movie, but it's unlikely of the other Alien: Romulus characters will them. What direction the sequel heads in will be interesting as Rain and Andy could find themselves waylaid on their journey to Yvaga III perhaps captured by the vengeful Weyland-Yutani corporation. It is also possible that the sequel could offer the bleak reveal that the apparently idyllic Yvaga III is actually also owned by Weyland-Yutani.

Whatever direction the sequel takes, Rain and Andy proved themselves complex and interesting characters in Alien: Romulus and more than capable of carrying on the franchise from here.