Few names in the genre of horror generate buzz the way Fede Álvarez’s does. In just eleven years, the man who made, perhaps, the best horror reimagining in years (2013’s Evil Dead) and the terrific modern day thriller, Don’t Breathe, has now put his stamp on the Alien franchise with a stand-alone chapter, Alien: Romulus. And by the looks of it, the franchise will be all the better for it!

With only four features under his belt, Álvarez has established himself as one of the best horror filmmakers working today, with an indelible style and vision that is uniquely his. His knowledge and passion for this franchise is incredibly palpable, with every marketing clip and trailer for Alien:Romulus giving off vibes matched only by Sir Ridley Scott’s original 1979 classic. And that freshness combined with his reverence for what made the original Alien a classic, shows why he’s the perfect director to fill in Scott’s shoes!

We were given the amazing opportunity to speak with Álvarez during San Diego Comic Con, where we covered an array of geeky topics, but mostly what to expect from his vision for the Alien franchise.

Check out our conversation right here:

Álvarez has proven himself to be a worthy successor to the so-called giants that came before him. And audiences everywhere are going to understand why soon enough!

Alien: Romulus hits theaters August 16th!