SAN DIEGO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - "Pacific Rim Uprising"

actor Cailee Spaeny had to admit that things became bleak while

filming the Disney ( DIS ) movie "Alien: Romulus," the latest

installment in the popular "Alien" franchise, because characters

were killed off regularly.

"Oh, it was always really sad when someone died, you know.

Because we shot it chronologically. I think we were all getting

really attached to each other," Spaeny said.

"So, whenever a death came up, it sort of was a very

emotional day," added Spaeny, who plays the main protagonist

named Rain Carradine.

"Alien: Romulus," which arrives in U.S. theaters on August

16, is a standalone film that takes place between the events of

the 1979 "Alien" movie and the 1986 "Aliens" film.

The science-fiction horror film follows a group of young

scavengers who enter a derelict space station looking for

valuables.

However, instead of finding anything profitable, they are

hunted and attacked by vicious xenomorphs, which are the black

antagonist aliens famously known within the "Alien" franchise.

Box Office Pro predicts that "Alien: Romulus" will have an

opening of $35 million to $50 million.

"Romulus" director and writer Fede Alvarez was dedicated to

making the aliens in the film look and feel as real as possible.

"When it comes to the xenomorph, when you have those

face-to-face encounters, you know, there's just nothing that

beats the practical," Alvarez said about making convincing

extraterrestrials.

British actor Archie Renaux, who plays a scavenger named

Tyler, also feels that having quality-made aliens in the film

was vital.

"These animatronics are amazing. The teeth, and you can see

the gums move and shatter," he said.

Fortunately, the cast wasn't completely terrified by the

alien animatronics and costumes, as the reality of filming a

fictional movie was ever present.

"Eventually, you know, you're around them (cast members

dressed as aliens) enough, you start seeing them drinking, like,

a coffee," said Isabela Merced, who plays the scavenger Kay.