Alien: Romulus is coming to home setups, but as a VHS release

Everyone has heard of upgrading to bigger and better technology with time. However, the Alien film series wants fans and users to return to the old tech. Surprised? So are we. Turns out, the latest film in the franchise, Alien: Romulus, is coming to VHS.

To celebrate 45 years of the Alien film franchise in the theatres, a special edition is being released for fans. The producers, 20th Century Studios (renamed after Walt Disney Studios acquired it in 2020), has announced a VHS release of Alien: Romulus.

What is VHS?

VHS refers to the Video Home System which was used to showcase films in an era gone by. Hollywood began using magnetic tape for recording in the 1950s but since it was very expensive, it was unaffordable for everyday use. This physical media format was used from the 1970s to the 90s.

VHS was invented in 1971. The Victor Company of Japan introduced the first VHS machines as consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes in 1976. It was then made available in the United States in 1977.

These tapes were then replaced by DVDs in the 2000s. The DVD went on sale in 1996 in Japan. It took around 2003 to become a household name, then moving on to Blu-Ray and streaming took over in the later years. Now, 20th Century Studios is rekindling those memories by releasing the ‘interquel’ Alien: Romulus on VHS.

Alien: Romulus is coming to VHS

Director Fede Alvarez announced that Alien: Romulus will feature in VHS at a special Beyond Fest-partnered screening. It may be time to dust off your VCR and make sure it is functioning as it is coming to VHS as a limited edition on December 3 alongside other physical releases as well.

ALSO READ: Alien: Romulus IMAX review

The movie will be presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. It will also showcase a slick, vintage-style sleeve. The box is designed by Matt Furgeson. He posted a wider version of the same image as a poster of Alien: Romulus on Instagram.

The producers haven’t mentioned the number of copies that will be made available. Also, the price of the collectible is yet to be announced.