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Two of my favorite trailers for this week share a common theme: parasitic aliens. The trope has given us some of the finest moments in cinema history; consider the whole Alien franchise, the horrifying dog transformation in The Thing, or that scene from Spaceballs. You could make a convincing argument that Star Trek’s Borg race are parasites of a kind, too.
It’s a versatile premise that lets a movie be as heady or grotesque or action-packed as its creators want. And two of sci-fi’s most beloved fictional freeloaders are showing up this week.
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom doesn’t like being called a parasite, but that’s still basically what it is. In the case of the Klyntar symbiote and Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock, though, the two are more than a parasite and its host. They’re buddies in a charming bromance! This week’s trailer shows more of that, with some hefty stakes and the implication that this is the end of the road for Brock and his greasy, brain-hungry friend. Color me excited for the October 25th theatrical debut of Venom: The Last Dance.
Alien: Romulus
Face-hugging Xenomorph horror is making a comeback, thanks to director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead) in the new Alien: Romulus trailer. It feels good to see the franchise turn back to its roots; I liked the more ruminative Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, but they weren’t everyone’s cup of tea. In this new trailer, scavengers on an abandoned space station turn into prey. It’s dark and claustrophobic; it has chest-bursters and facehuggers; and it looks absolutely terrifying. The movie hits theaters on August 16th.
MaXXXine
Ti West’s horror trilogy concludes with MaXXXine. It follows Mia Goth’s character as her star rises in 1980s Hollywood amid a murder mystery. True to the series, this one will have its own distinctive vibe, which West has likened to a “noir-ish” movie with “a Terminator-like aesthetic.” I’m in. The movie takes place after the events of X and its prequel, Pearl, and will head to theaters on July 5th.
Honorable video game mention: Metal Slug Tactics
Alright, Metal Slug Tactics isn’t a movie. But it’s a new take on one of my all-time favorite video game series. Tactics is a turn-based strategy take on what’s normally a sidescrolling shooter — think Contra, but so much sillier — known for its difficulty and meticulous sprite-based animation. And it comes from the folks behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and Streets of Rage 4! It’s out this fall for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 / 5, and Xbox One / Series S / X. Put this straight into my veins.
