[Updated] It's Official! Fede Alvarez's New Film is Titled Alien: Romulus

[Local Trouble]

[SiL]

There is one possible reason for the barbs that's not been mentioned - What if it's to hold on to the outside of a space ship/flat surface or any kind of moving situation it can't get its fingers around.

The barbs are not for impregnation - they are for getting the Facehugger from A to B.

They've never had an issue getting around before and, let's face it, it's Fede. They're getting used there.

[Highland]

There is one possible reason for the barbs that's not been mentioned - What if it's to hold on to the outside of a space ship/flat surface or any kind of moving situation it can't get its fingers around.

The barbs are not for impregnation - they are for getting the Facehugger from A to B.

They've never had an issue getting around before and, let's face it, it's Fede. They're getting used there.

Technically we've never seen the situation before (the holding on to something) so it wouldn't break canon. I guess my issue with the barbs being used as some kind of you can't get me off "thing" is that it would suggest there's no is she is she not impregnated tense part of the movie. It would be quite clear that somebody has something going on with .....they face 

Unless the hugger needs it for bigger prey, perhaps the Alien gets born from a bigger animal we've not seen. Maybe the barbs are what shoot the acid to eat through the helmets?

If it's for humans then yeah, I agree, it's probably in there just for the gore factor.

[DARIAS93]

Damn, the "barbed wire" facehugger is such a nasty and raw addition.

Not only does it have acid as a defensive mechanism, but if some other party tries to remove the facehugger from the host by other means, it will start ripping off the skin (and more) from its victim's face, therefore making it more likely for it to be left alone.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is Isabella's disgusting scene.

She gets face-hugged, and when the other crew members try to remove it, the facehugger will rip her face her off.

Knowing Fede and his movies, this could probably be his best practical effect achievement yet.

Evil Dead had the arm scene, but this seems like it could top it.

This is personally my favorite theory. This is something we haven't seen in any "Alien" film. Every thing else was about chest bursting, head puncturing, etcetera. This will be the film's signature scene. Its main attraction. Yes, the facehugger is already terrifying as it is, but adding the extra "Barbed wire" will definitely bring a new level of fear for our little critter friend.

[Local Trouble]

I can't deny it would be interesting to see what happens when you pry a facehugger off someone's face mid-implantation.  It would certainly contextualize how John J. Marachuk died in Aliens.

[skhellter]

I can't deny it would be interesting to see what happens when you pry a facehugger off someone's face mid-implantation.  It would certainly contextualize how John J. Marachuk died in Aliens.

see Suicide Squad (2021)

[MaineXeno]

I feel like I've seen facehuggers with barbed talons in the comics before. I could also just be misremembering and thinking of the random spikes put on their backs in some of them

[SiL]

It's not a new design idea, no.

[Slutty Badger]

I can't deny it would be interesting to see what happens when you pry a facehugger off someone's face mid-implantation.  It would certainly contextualize how John J. Marachuk died in Aliens.

According to the W-Y Report, the facehugger sent a chemical shock through his body.

[SiL]

I can't deny it would be interesting to see what happens when you pry a facehugger off someone's face mid-implantation.  It would certainly contextualize how John J. Marachuk died in Aliens.

Hugger probably chokes them out or tears their face off with their nails. Or douses their face with acid.

So many gnarly options.

[BigDaddyJohn]

Yep I'm leaning towards it's a Fede thing. If there is such a scene, you could have done globally the same scene without barbs.

This situation is discussed numerously without being shown in previous films. This time you could show it and it would sill be a never seen before scene.

Technically, no need for barbs indeed. But eh, I like the extra nastyness anyways so 

[Nightmare Asylum]

I can't deny it would be interesting to see what happens when you pry a facehugger off someone's face mid-implantation.  It would certainly contextualize how John J. Marachuk died in Aliens.

see Suicide Squad (2021)

Yep.

Spoiler

[close]

[Mike’s Monsters]

There's another visible feature on the facehugger that's been sitting in front of our eyes. It's totally obvious having seen it on camera now. I'll point it out eventually if no one picks up on it.

[PortugueseXeno]

I'll point it out eventually if no one picks up on it.

I'll make this easier for you, Mike.

No one has.

[kwisatz]

There's another visible feature on the facehugger that's been sitting in front of our eyes. It's totally obvious having seen it on camera now. I'll point it out eventually if no one picks up on it.

Something "on" the tail on the far-right side?

edit Are there "barbs" on the tail as well (in the shadow)?