"Alien: Romulus" slid to $18 million from 3,885 locations on Friday and preview screenings — a significant haul that suggests 20th Century's latest entry in the survival thriller series will top the studio's projections and land around $40 million in its opening weekend. The killer sci-fi flick is also getting a boost from Imax and other premium large-format auditoriums. The solid start marks a victory lap for Disney, which has ruled theaters during the summer season with the year's two biggest hits, "Deadpool & Wolverine" and "Inside Out 2."

“Romulus” was originally greenlit for a Hulu debut, but Disney moved the Fede Alvarez-led production to a theatrical rollout before principal filming began. The “Alien” series is nearly 50 years old and still a prestige brand name for horror and sci-fi fans, and they’re rolling out for opening weekend. The franchise’s previous two entries, prequels “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” saw the original film’s director Ridley Scott return to the property. “Prometheus” debuted with $51 million in 2012 and closed with $403 million worldwide; 2017’s “Covenant” marked a decline, opening with $36 million and closing with $240 million worldwide.

Seven years later, “Romulus” has revived the R-rated franchise — and for a cheaper price, too. This latest entry cost $80 million to produce before any marketing efforts — less financial heft than the previous two entries. If the franchise’s solid track record abroad continues before “Romulus,” this domestic start should provide a solid foundation for a fruitful theatrical run — especially considering the positive reviews and warm response from audiences (Cinema Score gave it a B+ — the highest rating for the franchise since James Cameron’s “Aliens” and an exceptionally solid showing for a horror film, which typically scores lower).

The mid-quel, which takes place between the events of “Alien” and “Aliens,” wipes the slate clean by introducing a new, younger cast of meat-sack victims for H.R. Giger’s Xenomorph designs to bite into. The ensemble cast includes Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson and Isabela Merced.