Some time ago, the Predator found itself at the center of a complex legal battle. Not the mandibled extraterrestrial hunter itself of course, but rather the franchise. The writers behind the original 1987 action sci-fi outing, Jim Thomas and John Thomas, had previously filed a "Notice of Termination" for their script in the hopes of gaining back the rights to their feature and thus force the studio, 20th Century Fox at the time, to include the writing duo should they wish to make more Predator movies.
Thankfully for Predator fans, Reuters has now revealed that this particular case has had a happy ending. After some pushing and pulling and no doubt an onslaught of legalese, the case has finally been settled, with a new filing in Los Angeles federal court today seeing the case dismissed entirely by both 20th Century Fox and the Thomas brothers. A statement from the attorney representing the scriptwriting brothers has revealed that "the parties had come to an 'amicable resolution.'" While details of the resolution remain a mystery, this should mean that there are no longer any hurdles in the way for Disney to continue the tale of the Predator.
Without getting into the complexities of the case too much, the Thomas’ filed a lawsuit before Fox was absorbed by Disney. Once that monumental deal had gone through, the writing pair found themselves in a similar situation to the Arnold Schwarzenegger starring bow-and-arrow wielding soldier versus the much, larger and more powerful Predator, when they were then forced to file against the House of Mouse, with Disney quickly counter-suing. Fortunately, it appears that everything has now been patched up, allowing the Predator to carry on adventuring across the cosmos.
A Fifth Predator Outing is Already in Development
Despite all the legal back-and-forth, a further installment in the Predator franchise is already on the cards. Directed by 10 Cloverfield Lane's Dan Trachtenberg, Prey will be the fifth movie in the series and is set to take audiences back in time, exploring the warrior alien’s first visit to Earth. "An all-new entry in the Predator franchise, Prey is set in the world of the Comanche Nation 300 years ago," a brief description for the movie reads. The sequel will feature Amber Midthunder as the series' first female lead, with the Legion star on board to play a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior, setting her on a collision course with one of cinema's most famous monsters.
Producers John Davis and John Fox recently offered some insight into what fans can expect from Prey, with Davis teasing the franchise's first female lead, describing it as something he "always think is interesting.” Midthunder meanwhile has since expressed her excitement over joining the beloved franchise saying, "I'm beyond words feeling proud, humbled, and excited to finally be able to share this news and have been given this opportunity. It is time we see ourselves represented fully in mainstream entertainment. As strong and human, by our own people. I can't wait for you all to see what we made this summer. Ʉra ako & pilamaye."
Prey is scheduled to be released exclusively to the streaming service Hulu in summer 2022.