First Look At New Predator Movie Set 300 Years Ago

Wilder was a personal friend of director Shane Black and was put in the film as a favor. This sparked backlash when news of the actor’s past was revealed. Olivia Munn personally informed 20th Century Fox that Wilder had been registered as a sex offender before the filming. While Black initially defended himself with the casting, he has since apologized for the decision.

Just one example of how white privilege works in Hollywood.



There were a ton of newly-announced projects on Friday for Disney Plus Day. Limited shows such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hawkeye got particular attention. One new franchise film may have slipped through the cracks amidst all the excitement. This franchise does not have to do with Marvel or Star Wars but the action/sci-fi series Predator. The horror franchise last had a movie released in 2018. The new Predator movie will not be a sequel or reboot, but a prequel. The film will be titled Prey and it takes place 300 years in the past. The main character is a female warrior named Naru trying to protect her tribe against an alien warrior that the audience is very familiar with. The Predator prequel will star Amber Midthunder as Naru. Also involved in the project is Dan Trachtenberg who is set to direct. Trachtenberg is most notable for directing the horror film 10 Cloverfield Lane and episodes of The Boys which is coming back for Season 3.

The first Predator film premiered in 1987 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers. Predator was one of Schwarzenegger’s early films that put him on the map as an action star. The film entails a group of commandos in South America trying to survive as they are hunted by the same alien. The Predator race is an intelligent lifeform, which is what makes them so interesting. They respect strength above all else which is why they go into battle so frequently. This differs greatly from the Alien mythology. These comparisons are due in large part to the Alien vs. Predator film that premiered in 2004. Xenomorphs are mindless killing machines who care nothing except procreation. The Predator species has problem-solving skills and a larger motivation at work. This is what makes them such formidable adversaries.

Prey will be a refreshing new direction for the series. Though not technically a reboot, the Predator franchise is in need of a fresh perspective. 2018’s film The Predator was surrounded in controversy with the casting of Steve Wilder. Wilder was a personal friend of director Shane Black and was put in the film as a favor. This sparked backlash when news of the actor’s past was revealed. Olivia Munn personally informed 20th Century Fox that Wilder had been registered as a sex offender before the filming. While Black initially defended himself with the casting, he has since apologized for the decision. Wilder had a small role in the film until he was fired from the production. This controversy ultimately hurt the film and was the last time the subject of the franchise was broached.

This new Predator movie will have a perspective that was prevalent in its spiritual sister Alien. A female protagonist in a film that takes place 300 years ago is a good way to rehabilitate the image of Predator. Trachtenberg has had a positive track record. 10 Cloverfield Lane starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead had a female lead. The Boys often criticizes how women are portrayed in superhero films. “Girls get it done!” says public relations coordinator Ashley on The Boys in an interesting parallel to the female pandering that was evident in Avengers: Endgame. Prey will be available to stream on Hulu in 2022.