Jackson's Star: Guide To The Alien Romulus Colony
Alien Romulus will begin its story at a "shake and bake" Weyland-Yutani colony similar to Hadley's Hope from Aliens, named Jackson's Star. In this article, we find out everything we know about this dystopian colony, its location, and its inhabitants. Beware of mild spoilers below, although this information only touches upon the beginning of the movie, with details provided from the trailer. Keep in mind that Alien: Romulus takes place in 2142 in the Alien timeline, so 20 years after Alien and 37 before Aliens.
Jackson's Star Colony Name
"Jackson's Star" is barely visible in white letters written on the Atmosphere Processor of the colony. Contrary to the ship names from the Alien series (inspired by Joseph Conrad's books), the colony names don't have any hidden meaning behind them. According to the Alien: River Of Pain book, Hadley's Hope colony took its name from the first administrator and founder of the colony, Curtis Hadley. Jackson's Star could also allude to an important person from the colony, which was probably established not that long ago. A similar colony name from the Alien vs. Predator series is Freya's Prospect from Aliens vs. Predator 2010.
The Atmosphere Processor
The Jackson's Star colony is next to a giant Atmosphere processor, making the air breathable on this unnamed planetoid. As seen in Aliens, one of these processors is enough, although there are cases of multiple ones being used (also in the initial script of Aliens). According to lore released together with Prometheus, the first Atmosphere processor was developed already back in 2039 by the Weyland Corp, built on the planet GJ-667Cc. One of the objectives of the colony is to maintain the atmosphere processor, although they would become fully automated (although perhaps a bit later in the timeline). The atmospheric changes are possibly still in process, with the surface being engulfed in rain and darkness.
The Jackson's Star Colonists
Director Fede Alvarez was inspired by the colonist children seen in the Director's Cut of Aliens, the kids who "were not supposed to be on this level". Although Aliens featured early school-aged children (Newt was in the first grade, while his brother was a few years older), Romulus will feature young adults. In addition to human children, Romulus will feature androids living as part of an extended family. It is not clear if the young people from Romulus will have their parents living in the same colony, although it is likely. The main characters (and colonists) from the movie include Rain Carradine (played by Cailee Spaeny), Tyler (Archie Renaux), and the android Andy (David Jonsson).
A View From Orbit
A view from the orbit of the planetoid that Jackson's Star colony resides on reveals a harsh world, with clouds, thunderstorms, and possibly even volcanic activity. The planetoid seems to be surrounded by a ring system, which is more akin to gas giants, like Calpamos, near which LV-426 resides. A far-away sun is visible over the horizon, which might only be visible from orbit, as the light does not break through the clouds. The colony's distance from Earth is not known, but the planet is one of the "400 surveyed worlds" mentioned in Aliens, set in the year 2179.
Corbelan IV
The ship seen taking off from Jackson's Star colony is called the Corbelan IV, owned by Weyland-Yutani and carrying a group of young people. In the Alien Romulus trailer, the ship approaches and docks with the Renaissance Station, setting off the events of the movie. In addition to the human cargo, the ship seems to haul a large orange container underneath, held in place by the ship's clamps. As with many other ships in the Alien series, the name "Corbelan" is taken from one of Joseph Conrad's novels. Padre Corbelan was a character from the book "Nostromo", originating from a remote South American town.
Seeking A Better Life
The young people from Jackson's Star are fed up with the living conditions on the colony and are seeking a better life for themselves elsewhere. The reasons for their leaving may include the dystopian landscape with unnatural weather and lack of the sun, cramped living conditions, greedy Weyland-Yutani policies, and neglected or complete lack of parenting. Most likely, the group of young people steal the Corbelan IV shuttle and don't make a lawful escape. They end up on the Renaissance Space Station, which is possibly located in the same star system (again a planet with a ring system is visible behind the station). However, a better life is the last thing they will find on the station, encountering Xenomorphs from the Romulus lab instead.
Behind The Scenes
A concept art image of Jackson's Star Colony was released by V Scooper on X, showcasing a gritty and somewhat hellish Blade Runner-ish cityscape. It is not clear if this was actual concept art used for the movie or an AI-generated image. Other scoops from the movie revealed "Jackson's Star" written on several buildings. "Jackson's Star" has not turned up anywhere else in Alien lore, but the concept bears similarities with the storyline from LV-871 from Aliens: Dust To Dust. In the story, a child named Maxon Cregar escapes from a Xenomorph infestation on his home colony, a harsh world covered in constant darkness and rain. Seemingly, the Jackson's Star colony will be spared a Xenomorph invasion, which takes place on the Renaissance Station instead.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jackon's Star is a Weyland-Yutani colony similar to Hadley's Hope and featured at the start of Alien: Romulus. A group of young colonists (including androids) escape on a shuttle in search of a better life but turn up at Xenomorph-infested Renaissance Station instead (with the Romulus lab). The final fate of the colonists will be revealed in Alien Romulus, released on the 16th of August.
