As Alien: Romulus gets its theatrical run underway with a killer start at the box office, fans are eager to enjoy all its horror greatness at home on digital and streaming.
Alien: Romulus came to theaters on Friday, August 16, about seven years after the last movie in the franchise, Alien: Covenant, released in 2017.
When WIll Alien: Romulus Release Online?
Before Alien: Romulus starts streaming on any service, the movie will first become available for digital purchase, with a physical release to follow shortly after.
Looking at other recent 20th Century Studios movies, recent flicks have generally come to digital around a month and a half to two months after theaters:
- The Boogeyman: June 2, 2023 - August 29, 2023 (88 days)
- A Haunting in Venice: September 15, 2023 - October 31, 2023 (46 days)
- The Creator: September 29, 2023 - November 14, 2023 (46 days)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: May 10, 2024 - July 9, 2024 (60 days)
As Alien: Romulus appears on track to continue succeeding at the box office, Disney may wish to keep it exclusively in theaters for a longer period, akin to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes earlier this year.
This would leave Alien: Romulus arriving for digital purchase on most major platforms between early and mid-October.
The digital release date for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was announced on June 20, around 40 days after it debuted in U.S. theaters. While the wait for online release updates can vary greatly from movie to movie based on several factors, this could point toward an official announcement coming in late September.
When Will Alien: Romulus Be Streaming? Release Date Prospects
As Alien: Romulus hails from Disney's 20th Century Studios, its options for a streaming destination are left between Disney+ and Hulu. But due to its R rating, Romulus is expected to join the rest of the franchise on Hulu in the coming months.
While the Hulu release date for Alien: Romulus has yet to be announced and probably won't be for some time, the theatrical-to-streaming windows for other 20th Century Studios movies may offer some estimate:
- The Boogeyman: June 2, 2023 - October 5, 2023 (125 days)
- A Haunting in Venice: September 15, 2023 - November 22, 2023 (68 days)
- The Creator: September 29, 2023 - December 20, 2023 (82 days)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: May 10, 2024 - August 2, 2024 (84 days)
If Alien: Romulus were to follow a similar streaming strategy to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which also enjoyed some box office glory, it could be released on Hulu just under three months after it came to theaters in early November.
Although had the original plan for Alien: Romulus gone ahead, the horror flick would already be available for streaming on Hulu.
The sequel was originally developed for Hulu as part of 20th Century Studios' plan to release 10 movies annually on the service, however, the movie was granted a theatrical release around the start of filming (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Luckily, that turned out to be a smart decision for Disney and 20th Century Studios, as the latest Alien flick has already grossed $120 million worldwide in its first week, placing it on track to become a box office sensation.
Alien: Romulus is playing now in theaters worldwide.
Read more about Alien: Romulus:
Every Alien Movie To Watch Before Romulus & Everything You Need To Know
Alien Romulus: Ending Explained & Biggest Spoilers from Plot
Best Alien: Romulus Popcorn Buckets Ranked & How To Buy Each
