The '80s are synonymous with big action movies. A handful of them stands out as higher concept fare, not just a bunch of burly, armed to the teeth dudes blowing stuff up. Among these are The Terminator, Aliens, and the alien-hunter classic, Predator.
Predator is a defining movie of the decade and the action genre. It has all the big battles, big guns, and a big bad guy you would expect from the period. And, of course, it has Arnold Schwarzenegger. It also manages to perfectly blend the action, sci-fi, and horror genres into one seamless brawl in the jungle. Predator gave us the classic Arnold line, “If it bleeds, we can kill it…” And the studio did just that; bled the franchise nearly dry.
Predator has sequels. Lots of them. Some are solid (Predator 2, Predators), and some should have just been left in a draft (AVP, AVP Requiem, and The Predator). But the base concept has limitless potential no matter how many skulls the Predator has collected.
Now, Hulu is taking advantage of that potential with a new Predator prequel, Prey. The film is shaping up to be a very different Predator movie. The filmmakers seem to be shifting perspective and approach, going for a more grounded and understated story versus the big explosions and personalities of past Predator entries. The latter approach worked in the '80s, but maybe it’s time for this franchise to stop living in the past.
Prey: The Plot
Stepping back several sequels, Predator 2 established that the titular alien species has been making hunting trips to earth for centuries. Yes, this means Predator period pieces. Prey takes place roughly 300 years before the events of the original Predator. The hunted in this film will be a Native American Comanche warrior and her entire tribe. Here’s the official synopsis:
"Prey is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries."
A teaser trailer showing next to nothing was released in May. We get a chase through the woods and a Native warrior pulling back an arrow targeted at an unseen enemy. Then comes the signature three red dot bullseye of the Predator’s shoulder gun and the disembodied rattling breath that has echoed through the jungle and concrete jungle alike.
The film will revolve around Naru (Amber Midthunder), an elite female Comanche nation warrior who must defend her home and her tribe from an invading Predator. This is in keeping with the concept of Predators using earth for hunting grounds long before stalking Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and company through a Guatemalan jungle in the original 1987 Predator.
Prey: The Cast & Crew
The cast of Prey is composed of nearly all Native actors. This includes Amber Midthunder (The Ice Road, Roswell, New Mexico), Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp (Sooyii), Michelle Thrush (The Journey Home), and Julian Black Antelope (Tribal).
The idea for a Predator wandering 18th century North America came from Prey director Dan Trachtenberg in 2016. Trachtenberg has a slim but solid directing resume, having helmed episodes of The Boys and Black Mirror, and, most impressively, the excellent 10 Cloverfield Lane. That film is a taught, claustrophobic thriller taking place in the wake of a potential extraterrestrial onslaught. So Prey offers Trachtenberg familiar territory and solid ground from which to build his vision of a Predator prequel. The script comes from relative unknown Patrick Aison, who has namely worked on episodes of Jack Ryan and Treadstone. Prey will be the producer and scribe’s feature film debut.
Prey will pay particular attention to accurately portraying the Comanche nation in the respective period. The film is produced in part by Jhane Myers, a member of the Comanche nation, documentary filmmaker, and Sundance Fellow. Meyers’ involvement is key to ensuring the setting of Prey isn’t just a generic and potentially erroneous replication of the 1700s Comanche nation. A celebrated documentary filmmaker, Myers also serves as an advisor and ambassador between the worlds of filmmaking and the Comanche and Blackfeet nations. Her life’s work has revolved around preserving and honoring those tribes through film and other artistic works. Her involvement in Prey resulted in a cast almost completely comprised of Native people.
Prey: Release Date
The story revolves around a 7-foot lethal and mostly invisible alien that hunts the biggest game for sport and honor with an advanced arsenal of weaponry. The imposing mandible-faced stalker is touching down on our planet in Prey, which is set to release exclusively on Hulu on August 5, 2022.