Resisting the Fifth: Visions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Alien and Alien: Romulus

John Quinn

Resisting the Fifth: Visions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Alien and Alien: Romulus

John Quinn^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Business and Creative Industries

Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products

Abstract

This video essay examines how the alien cinematic universe reflects the themes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, exploring its technological, ethical, and societal implications, as seen in Alien (1979) and Alien: Romulus (2024). Furthermore, this essay considers how Alien (1979) and Alien: Romulus (2024) resist the optimistic human-centric nature of the emergent Fifth Industrial Revolution, by de-emphasising the importance of human workers and their well-being in the workplace.

Original language	English
Publisher	YouTube
Media of output	Online
Size	1.8gb
Publication status	Published - 27 Jun 2025

Keywords

Fourth Industrial Revolution
Fifth Industrial Revolution
Predatory Capitalism
Alien
Alien Romulus

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

https://youtu.be/farct-5Vzj0

1 Chapter
1 Article

Gender, ideational populism and the eighties action cinema
Quinn, J., 24 Nov 2022, Gender and Action Films 1980-2000. Gerrard, S. & Middlemost, R. (eds.). London: Emerald Publishing Limited, p. 155-168 14 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Beyond the space jockey: YouTube, morphogenetic paratexts and the alien universe
Quinn, J., 10 Jun 2020, In: Cinephile. 14, 1, p. 34-39 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

Cite this

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AB - This video essay examines how the alien cinematic universe reflects the themes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, exploring its technological, ethical, and societal implications, as seen in Alien (1979) and Alien: Romulus (2024). Furthermore, this essay considers how Alien (1979) and Alien: Romulus (2024) resist the optimistic human-centric nature of the emergent Fifth Industrial Revolution, by de-emphasising the importance of human workers and their well-being in the workplace.

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M3 - Digital or Visual Products

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Resisting the Fifth: Visions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Alien and Alien: Romulus

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Gender, ideational populism and the eighties action cinema

Beyond the space jockey: YouTube, morphogenetic paratexts and the alien universe

Cite this