By Carolyn Giardina
Half in the Bag – Alien: Romulus
The late Ian Holm, who played the android Ash, an antagonist in 1979's "Alien," has garnered a lot of attention with his return in Disney and 20th Century's "Alien: Romulus," which increased its box office total to $91 million in the U.S. and $283.5 million worldwide last weekend.
Holm's appearance in the latest episode of “Alien” underscores the role of the SAG-AFTRA collective bargaining agreement, which requires the artist's estate to give permission before a digital replica is made.
A recent Visual Effects Society panel examined the delicate work of bringing Holm's likeness to "Alien: Romulus," which introduces the late actor as a new android named Rook. Director Fede Alvarez confirmed that the filmmakers reached out to Holm's estate for their approval (Variety understands this included compensation, per the SAG-AFTRA contract) before using Holm's likeness.
