Alien: Romulus’ Director Just Revealed How Isabela Merced's The Last Of Us Character Inspired His Movie Before She Was Ever Cast, And My Mind Is Blown
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Warning: Major Spoilers for Alien: Romulus & The Last of Us Part II.
In an incredible twist of fate that seems too perfect to be true, Alien: Romulus director Fede álvarez has revealed a surprising connection between his recent 2024 movie release, the sci-fi horror movie Alien: Romulus, and the hit video game The Last of Us Part II. The Don’t Breath helmer shared on social media how playing the game significantly influenced his creative decisions for Romulus, especially regarding Isabela Merced's character, Kay. However, what makes this revelation even more mind-blowing is the uncanny way life imitates art.
álvarez took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a fascinating anecdote about his creative process. He disclosed how a storyline from The Last of Us Part II inspired him to incorporate a specific plot element into Alien: Romulus. In his post, the Evil Dead filmmaker wrote:
Fun fact: I was playing #TheLastOfUs2 while writing #AlienRomulus. The story of a pregnant Dina made me think of having the character of Kay be pregnant too. Then I cast Isabella Merced to play Kay…. A year later she gets cast to play Dina on the HBO show…. True story.
This revelation is fascinating, not just because of the casting coincidence with Merced being chosen to play Dina in The Last of Us Season 2, the very character that sparked álvarez's idea for her character in Romulus.
It’s also incredible because of álvarez's unique creative choices while crafting his Alien film. Adding a pregnant character into a high-stakes sci-fi horror setting is a bold move, but discovering this idea was directly inspired by a video game adds an extra layer of intrigue to his storytelling.
For those unfamiliar, Dina is a central figure in The Last of Us Part II. She is Ellie’s partner and a crucial ally in her quest for vengeance. After losing her parents at a young age, Dina was raised by her older sister and eventually moved to Jackson, Wyoming, to join the community there. By the end of the game, she is pregnant, adding even more emotional weight to her character's journey.
If you’ve watched the Alien movies in order, you already know the series is no stranger to strong female leads. Romulus proudly continues that tradition where we get two incredible female leads.
Spoiler Alert: in this latest installment, Isabela Merced takes on the role of Kay, a beloved character who unfortunately meets a tragic end. Kay, an expectant mother and a close friend of the main character Rain (played by Cailee Spaeny), and she faces a shocking and unexpected fate at Romulus' end. Following an attack by a xenomorph, she turns to Science Officer Rook (portrayed by Daniel Betts) for guidance. Under his advice, she uses a substance called Compound Z-01 in a desperate attempt to save herself and her unborn child.
While her plan initially seems successful, it leads to an unforeseen and terrifying outcome: the birth of a human/Engineer hybrid—a result that Weyland-Yutani’s ever-loyal synthetic had been secretly aiming to achieve all along.
The crossover of different media—video games, movies, and TV shows—is becoming more common as storytelling continues to evolve. But this case stands out as a unique example of how these worlds can be so interconnected. By drawing inspiration from The Last of Us Part II, álvarez adds unexpected depth to his film, humanizing his characters by exploring themes like pregnancy amidst horror and chaos. This bold move seems to be pushing the boundaries of the genre in new and exciting directions.
Merced’s back-to-back casting as Dina in The Last of Us series, following her role in Alien: Romulus, feels like a full-circle moment that only Hollywood could pull off, and it truly blew my mind.
Catch Isabela Merced in Alien: Romulus in theaters now, and you'll be able to see her in the second season of The Last of Us next year. For those who can't wait, the first season is currently streaming with a Max subscription. Also, remember to check out our list of upcoming horror movies to see what other spine-chilling films are hitting the 2025 movie schedule and beyond!
