(Left) Christopher McQuarrie, writer and director of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.’ (Right) Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Conan the Barbarian’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced Christopher McQuarrie for ‘King Conan’.
The ‘Mission Impossible’ writer/director is reportedly aboard the next stage of the character.
Schwarzenegger also hinted at a return to the ‘Predator’ universe.
When Arnold Schwarzenegger talks, people listen. And when he talks potential projects featuring iconic characters he’s played in the past, people listen even more intently.
While there was some skepticism given the long development and previously unsuccessful attempts at a Conan follow-up, The Hollywood Reporter brings word that McQuarrie is indeed on board.
What has Arnold Schwarzenegger said about ‘King Conan’?
Director Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Here’s Schwarzenegger’s latest statement on the project:
“They just hired a fantastic writer/director who did Tom Cruise’s last four movies. They just hired Christopher McQuarrie to write and direct ‘King Conan.’ Now, what they do is that they write the part. They don’t write them like I’m forty years old; you write it to be age-appropriate. I’ll still go in there and kick some ass, but it will be different…With ‘King Conan,’ it’s a great old story that Conan was forty years as King, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom, and there’s conflict, of course, but somehow he comes back, and there’s all kinds of madness, violence, magic, and creatures, and stuff like that. And now, of course, there’s all kinds of special effects.”
What else did Schwarzenegger hint at?
In good form, Schwarzenegger also let slip that he’s talked to ‘Predator: Badlands’ director Dan Trachtenberg about returning to one of his other big action franchises.
We’ll have to wait and see whether any of this comes to pass, but it’s certainly an exciting update!
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Dan Trachtenberg about his work on ‘Predator: Badlands’, coming up with the new story, connecting it to the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ series, making the Predator the protagonist, creating the Predator language, casting Elle Fanning in her dual roles, and what fans can expect from future installments of the franchise.
(L to R) Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, director Dan Trachtenberg, and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about breaking the story for this film, and was it something that you were thinking about while you were making ‘Prey’?
Dan Trachtenberg: It came at the tail end of ‘Prey’. I just started thinking about, what would we do next if we were to do another one? I really felt like, if the next thing is just part two of what we just did, then the movie doesn’t get to stand on its own merits. Sometimes, you make a special thing and then part two is just the sequel to the special thing, not a special thing in and of itself. So, it was like, what would be another idea if I was making a first Predator movie again? There was this fan sentiment about the Predator of like, “Why does he always lose?” So that sparked the idea of, “Okay, if the Predator wins, what would be a story in which I could be rooting for the Predator? That led to the Predator as the protagonist and being thrust into the gauntlet like Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Naru (Amber Midthunder), and Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover). You know, like all the protagonists go through. What if the Predator was going through that gauntlet? Then really wanting to find a story where you could emotionally connect with this monster and have a great time with. I did not want to put any humans in the movie because if we put in a human, then it would just become a two-hander again and the human would feel like a protagonist so that’s why it became a robot. The idea of a broken robot, like Chewbacca and C-3PO, and then Weyland-Yutani and Synths, so it all spiraled from thinking of “what hasn’t been done” in Predator movies and what hasn’t been done in sci-fi.
MF: The film has several references to other Predator movies but also contains Easter Eggs for the ‘Alien’ series and the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ franchise. Can you talk about the choice to include those references in this movie?
DT: With ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’, it’s not taking the big action figures and throwing them together, but instead, taking a little portion from one franchise and have that interwoven into the other, to say that’s another way of universe unifying and building it. That felt exciting to me. Frankly, it was born out of what the story wanted anyway. If the ‘Alien’ franchise was at another studio, we still would have made this movie. It just wouldn’t have been Weyland-Yutani as the company, but because it could be Wayland, it meant that then we could include MU/TH/UR and have it reflected in the father dynamic that Dek has. So, all of that made the movie richer but it wasn’t like, “We need to do ‘Alien vs. Predator’ How are we going to do that?” It didn’t come from that; it came from the narrative needs.
MF: Can you also talk about the choice to make the Predator the protagonist of this movie and show his home planet for the first time?
DT: It was incredibly challenging. The language, obviously had to be developed whole cloth, both written and spoken. His face, which was deliciously designed by Stan Winston with James Cameron‘s input to include the mandibles back in the 80s, is so cool for being a frightening and intimidating creature. But not at all conducive to having a wide range of emotion like we needed in the film. So, it was a great challenge to have to translate what Demetrius was performing into a face that has no nose, no lips, and teeth that don’t even let the mouth close. There was a temptation to cover his face up more and have him wear the mask. But I really didn’t want to soften our attempt at saying, “It’s a monster and you’re going to care.” So, we faced the challenge head on.
MF: Can you also talk about the challenges of creating the Predator’s language for this movie?
DT: We worked with a language expert, Britton Watkins, who’s both a language expert and sci-fi fan and really developed an entire grammar structure and dictionary, all based off of the physiology of the Yautja from ‘Predator’. So, it all comes from the way that we assume the throat works and the mandibles and all of that. It was an entirely custom-made language for the movie that Demetrius and Elle had to learn. I had a script that I could look at, but I really paid more attention to rhythm and emotion, and that things felt authentic rather than needing to know the pronunciations.
MF: Can you talk about casting Elle Fanning as both Thia and Tessa, and her specific and separate performances?
DT: That was the exciting thing. We’ve seen a lot of twin portrayals in movies throughout the years and characters doing dual roles, but being the funny sidekick, as well as the villain, typically requires two different actors. What Elle did is tremendous, and I got a lot of inspiration in watching ‘The Great’, where she was funny and there was an innocence to her character when it starts, then she must get really intense and that’s what clicked a nerve for me in casting her.
MF: Finally, have you started thinking about ideas for another installment yet? If so, would it be another original story, or would it include returning characters from ‘Prey’ or ‘Badlands’?
DT: I’m really developing both. I’m in this moment now where I was after ‘Prey’, where I was just trying to get excited about a path to take. I came up with a bunch of different paths and in that case, making both at the same time with ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ and ‘Badlands’. So, now we are figuring out what the next step of some of the characters are. We’re also figuring out and have been quite stoked about some other ways into the franchise that we haven’t seen before So, all things are being developed.
‘Predator: Badlands’ will be available February 12th on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD February 17th.
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Who is in the cast of ‘Predator: Badlands’?
Elle Fanning as Thia and Tessa
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek and as the voice of Njohrr
After teaming with the ‘Alien‘ franchise for two movies, director Dan Trachtenberg brought the franchise back to popularity with the Emmy winning ‘Prey‘, which debuted on Hulu.
Now Trachtenberg is back with a new installment of the franchise called ‘Predator: Badlands‘, which stars Elle Fanning and will be release in theaters on November 7th.
In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Predator’ movie ever made, including the ‘AVP‘ movies, animated films and ‘Badlands’.
2007’s ‘Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
After a horrifying PredAlien crash-lands near a small Colorado town, killing everyone it encounters and producing countless Alien offspring, a lone Predator arrives to “clean up” the infestation.
When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist (Olivia Munn) can prevent the end of the human race.
2004’s ‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.
Danny Glover in ‘Predator 2’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
A police chief (Danny Glover) in the war-torn streets of Los Angeles discovers that an extraterrestrial creature is hunting down residents – and that he is the next target.
While three of the fiercest warriors in human history—a Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a WWII pilot—are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent: the ultimate killer of killers.
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
When danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.
‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
On Hulu on June 6th is ‘Predator: Killer of Killers,’ an animated anthology that has Predator creatures dropping in on three very different time periods of Earth.
Dan Trachtenberg certainly brought a breath of fresh air to the ‘Predator’ franchise after even Shane Black couldn’t manage to breathe new life into it with the disappointing ‘The Predator.’ So Trachtenberg has naturally been given free rein to explore other avenues, and he’s been on a cherry picking mission through the wider Predator mythology (which includes comic books, novelizations and video games) to find different looks for the Yautja aliens –– the Predators’ actual species name –– and different human challenges for them to face.
Yet as with any attempt to build on an existing franchise, does ‘Killer of Killers’ establish itself as worthy?
Trachtenberg worked up the story for the new movie alongside Micho Robert Rutare, with the latter tasked into turning their concepts into a screenplay. The result, as with any anthology is a mixed bag, with one of the stories standing out from the others; though all have something to recommend them.
The first, ‘The Shield,’ takes place in Viking times (841 A.D. if you really want to get specific), and sees a Predator incursion interrupting a clash between clan leader Ursa and Zoran, the war chief who murdered her father. A little like ‘Prey,’ it follows a rite of passage, as Ursa’s son Anders is being encouraged to fight like a warrior. Suffice to say, there are plenty of hacked limbs and slashed midriffs –– and that’s before the Predator creature even shows up.
‘The Shield’ manages some good moments undercutting expectations, though it is also relatively slight.
‘The Sword’ brings us forward in time to Samurai-era Japan, where a ninja has turned against the Samurai brother he was raised opposite. This time, the story of vengeance is slightly more nuanced, and the Predator who arrives to add to the chaos nimbler than the previous example.
Finally, ‘The Bullet,’ the third story, is set during World War II and features something truly new and different –– at least in big-screen ‘Predator’ action –– while it is the story of young mechanic (and wannabe pilot) Torres, it’s mostly set in the air, as American fighter planes take on a Predator spaceship.
It won’t surprise you to learn, particularly given Trachtenberg’s involvement, that there is also more going on here –– but spoiler concerns prevent us from talking more about that element. Suffice to say, there are connections here that slowly reveal themselves, and deepen the story.
On the animation front, Josh Wassung’s team acquit themselves admirably, creating subtly different styles for each time period, but finding a way to have them feel of a piece. While occasional moments can look like a video game cutscene, and the jerky animation can take a little getting used to, the overall effect works.
And, as mentioned, setting these stories in an animated world gives plenty of scope for bigger action set pieces and wilder moments.
Barring one or two recognizable names (Michael Biehn, Rick Gonzalez, Lauren Holt, Louis Ozawa and Doug Cockle), the voice cast here is mostly made up of people who will be familiar to die-hard gamers and animation fans.
Still, there are effective performances here –– Gonzalez gets a chance to shine as Torres, the young mechanic with some serious piloting chops in the World War II entry, while Lindsay LaVanchy does good work as Ursa, the Viking warrior aiming to forge the next generation of fighter while burning with vengeful fury.
Though the script and, by nature the anthology format, doesn’t always give the cast the most rounded of characters to play, they all work well.
Some ‘Predator’ fanatics might quibble with a few details here and there, and the quality of the stories can be mixed, but ‘Killer of Killers’ proves to be a welcome addition to the franchise, providing some visuals that would be prohibitively expensive in live-action and leaning into the mythology.
A few lingering story tendrils push it into Marvel territory in terms of wondering if this is all place-setting for Trachtenberg’s upcoming live-action ‘Predator: Badlands,’ but again, to even speculate about that is verging on spoiler territory.
And regardless, ‘Killer of Killers’ manages to tell a mostly contained, solid story with some welcome, clever nods to the ‘Predator’ movies of the past.
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What’s the story of ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’?
The anthology story follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge, a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession, and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause.
But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent –– the ultimate killer of killers.
Who is in the cast of ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’?
‘Prey’ director Dan Trachtenberg has shot both follow-up ‘Badlands’ and a new secret movie.
The other movie is likely to arrive via streaming.
20th Century boss Steve Asbell offered other updates in a new interview.
Ever since ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ director Dan Trachtenberg brought the ‘Predator’ franchise roaring back to life with 2022’s ‘Prey’ (a prequel to the franchise entries that landed on Hulu to huge viewing figures), we’ve been waiting for more news about his follow-up.
Then, back in June this year, word arrived that Elle Fanning was in talks for the next movie to come from Trachtenberg, ‘Predator: Badlands.’ It’s a stand-alone that features no connective tissue to ‘Prey’ other than the appearance of at least one of the movies’ trademark toothy hunters.
According to Asbell, there will indeed be two ‘Predator’ movies headed our way next year.
One is ‘Badlands,’ which wrapped recently in New Zealand and, yes, features Fanning. The other? That’s more of a mystery for now.
This is what Asbell said:
“After ‘Prey’ became a success, Dan came back and said he didn’t want to do ‘Prey 2.’ And we’re like, ‘What do you want to do?’ And he rattled off a bunch of ideas that were really crazy but really cool. We’ve actually done two of them.”
He had no other real details on the second film, other than to say Trachtenberg directed it before heading out to make ‘Badlands’ and that it probably won’t be released theatrically, which is the destination for ‘Badlands.’
Little has been released about the plot for ‘Badlands,’ and indeed Asbell offers not much by way of detail, other than to say:
“It is an absolutely bonkers idea. It is a sci-fi thing, but it’s not what everybody thinks it is. And I mean, it’s awesome. It is so nuts. But in Dan, we trust.”
One of the other big 20th Century sci-fi franchises, ‘Alien,’ also saw love this year.
‘Alien: Romulus,’ directed by Fede Alvarez, was a success at the box office, and a sequel is in the works.
This is what Asbell had to say about the future of the franchise:
“We’re working on a sequel idea now. We haven’t quite closed our deal with Fede, but we are going to, and he has an idea that we’re working on. The two survivors, Rain and Andy, played by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, were real highlights of the film. And so I always think of it like, ‘Wow, where do people want to see them go next?’ We know there’s going to be aliens. We know there’s going to be great horror set pieces. But I fell in love with both of them and I want to see what their story is.”
That would also make people think about the times that the ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ franchises have crossed over –– but according to Asbell, while he and his team are thinking about it, don’t expect them to rush into the idea:
“It wouldn’t be in the way you think. That’s the thing. Not in the way that it will just be called ‘Alien vs. Predator’ or anything like the original movies. If we do this, they’ll be organically created out of these two franchises that we’ve continued with characters that we fall in love with, and those characters will combine… perhaps. But we haven’t gotten to that point.”
Elle Fanning in ‘The Neon Demon’. Photo: Amazon Studios.
Preview:
Elle Fanning is in talks for the new ‘Predator’ Stand-Alone Movie ‘Badlands’.
Dan Trachtenberg is once more directing.
A ‘Prey’ sequel is also in development.
2022’s ‘Prey’, even though it debuted on streaming service Hulu, has been a huge success, breaking viewing records for the Disney-owned company and introducing new fans to the ‘Predator’ story.
We learned back in February that Dan Trachtenberg, who directed ‘Prey’, is headed back into ‘Predator’ territory with new stand-alone movie ‘Badlands’. And there has been an update –– Elle Fanning, most recently seen in Hulu series ‘The Great’, is now in negotiations to take a lead role. As to what role she’ll play, that has yet to be revealed.
The plot for the new film is being kept hidden for now. We do know that it is not planned as a direct sequel to ‘Prey’, which you might recall was set in 1719 and saw a Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder) dealing with the dismissive attitudes of the men around her, encroaching human threats and, oh yes, a skilled extraterrestrial hunter on the planet for sport.
But given Trachtenberg’s return (and that of writer Patrick Aison, who has crafted the new script from a story he worked on with the director), there’s every chance it could have some link to the 2022 movie.
All that is concrete about the new movie is that it’s set at some point in the future and will once more focus on a female human lead character.
All being well, Trachtenberg is aiming to have the movie shooting in July, and Fanning’s casting means that is looking more likely.
What else is happening with the ‘Predator’ franchise?
While ‘Badlands’ is the one confirmed project to move from development into pre-production, Trachtenberg is reportedly also overseeing other potential ‘Predator’ concepts that could be handed off to different creative teams. This is Disney, after all, which rarely likes to let a chance for a new (or in this case, renewed) franchise to slip through its fingers.
Deadline’s story on Fanning entering negotiations also mentions that a ‘Prey’ sequel is in very early development, which would mean Midthunder’s Naru would be the first character to reoccur across more than one ‘Predator’ movie.
If ‘Badlands’ is a success, expect plenty more ‘Predator’ projects to switch off their cloak of invisibility and start stalking our screens.
Disney and 20th Century Studios have yet to announce a release date, nor confirm if it’ll be in theaters (but we figure it’s a good bet given the companies’ refreshed commitment to theatrical releases). With shooting set for this year, a 2025 slot seems likely.
Dan Trachtenberg is making a new ‘Predator’ movie.
It won’t be a direct sequel to his hit ‘Prey’.
Patrick Aison is writing the script.
Back in 2022, director Dan Trachtenberg brought the ‘Predator’ franchise roaring back to life with ‘Prey’, a bold, fresh take on the idea of the aliens visiting Earth to hunt.
‘Prey’, though it was originally targeted for a theatrical release, found itself moved to streaming once 20th Century Fox was bought by Disney and the company decided not to let it go to HBO (where there was a deal for Fox releases after their cinematic run).
The result was record viewing figures for streaming service Hulu and a renewed interest in all things ‘Predator’.
Now Trachtenberg is back and has a new movie in the works called ‘Badlands’.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the plot for the new film is being kept hidden for now. We do know that it is not planned as a direct sequel to ‘Prey’, which you might recall was set in 1719 and saw a Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder) dealing with the dismissive attitudes of the men around her, encroaching human threats and, oh yes, a skilled extraterrestrial hunter on the planet for sport.
But given Trachtenberg’s return (and that of writer Patrick Aison, who has crafted the new script from a story he worked on with the director), there’s every chance it could have some link to the 2022 movie.
All that is concrete about the new movie is that it’s set at some point in the future and will once more focus on a female human lead character.
All being well, Trachtenberg is aiming to have the movie shooting in July.
While ‘Badlands’ is the one confirmed project to move from development into pre-production, Trachtenberg is reportedly also overseeing other potential ‘Predator’ concepts that could be handed off to other creative teams. This is Disney, after all, which rarely likes to let a chance for a new (or in this case, renewed) franchise to slip through its fingers.
If ‘Badlands’ is a success, expect plenty more ‘Predator’ projects to switch off their cloak of invisibility and start stalking our screens.
When will ‘Badlands’ be released?
Disney and 20th Century Studios have yet to announce a release date, nor confirm if it’ll be in theaters (but we figure it’s a good bet). With shooting set for this year, a 2025 slot seems likely.
Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+
Preview:
Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76.
He’s famous for the ‘Rocky’ movies, ‘Predator’ and more.
Tributes have already started to come in for the actor.
Sad news today as action and acting icon Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76.
Weathers, who made his name in the action-orientated likes of ‘Predator’ and the sports drama of the ‘Rocky’ movies, then segued into more comedic roles (often playing himself) and more recently became a key recurring performer on ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘The Mandalorian.’
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Carl Weathers: Early Life and Career
Carl Weathers in ‘Action Jackson.’ Photo: Lorimar Film Entertainment.
Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Carl Weathers’ initial career was much more focused on sports, specifically football, relying on athletic prowess to overcome adversity.
He played on teams at Long Beach City College, San Diego State (where he also studied theatre, a nod towards his future) and signed on with the Oakland Raiders in 1970, making a mark as a linebacker.
But after various injuries through his time on the gridiron, he decided in 1974 to focus on performance, pursuing a drama degree at San Francisco State University.
Weathers took a familiar route to screens, working on commercials and smaller roles in movies such as ‘The Candidate’ and ‘Magnum Force’.
(L to R) Carl Weathers and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky II.’ Photo: United Artists.
He got a big break thanks to 1976’s ‘Rocky’, where his critiquing Sylvester Stallone’s acting during his audition won him the role of the cocky, ambitious Apollo Creed, a role he’d play three further times.
(L to R) Carl Weathers and Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Some actors might be content with just that successful run, but Weathers took the chance to re-invent himself, often playing versions of himself and appearing in the likes of ‘Happy Gilmore’, ‘Little Nicky’ and as a voice in ‘Eight Crazy Nights’, all alongside Adam Sandler.
He enjoyed several episodes on ‘Arrested Development’ playing a spoof version of himself, who had become an acting tutor.
In addition to a long resume of TV guest credits, he added a whole new generation of fans via his work as Greef Karga, the mercenary wrangler-turned-official for ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘The Mandalorian.
Weathers also stepped behind the camera as a director, shooting episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ as well as ‘Law & Order’, ‘Chicago Med’, ‘FBI’ and more. He served on the Directors Guild of America board and various committees, helping others navigate the job.
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Carl Weathers remembered by his family
(Center) Carl Weathers and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s ‘Predator.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Weathers’ family announced his death with a statement:
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”
Weathers is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
Available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD beginning October 3rd is the critically acclaimed and Emmy-nominated movie ‘Prey,’ which is the fifth film in the main ‘Predator’ series and the seventh overall in the franchise, and was directed by Dan Trachtenberg (’10 Cloverfield Lane’).
What is the plot of ‘Prey’?
Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, ‘Prey’ is the story of a young woman, Naru (Amber Midthunder), 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 prove herself a worthy hunter. 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.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Dan Trachtenberg about his work on ‘Prey,’ the deleted scenes on the Blu-ray, reinventing the ‘Predator’ franchise, designing the primitive Predator and his weapons, casting Amber Midthunder, his original plan for the film’s dialogue to be completely in Comanche, the movie’s surprising Emmy-nominations, and his plans for a possible sequel.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about reinventing the ‘Predator’ franchise and taking it back to its roots with ‘Prey’?
Dan Trachtenberg: Honestly, I didn’t really come at this thinking, “I want to make a ‘Predator’ movie. I’m going to make a prequel and I’m going to do this.” I really came at it from wanting to make a period science fiction film and make a movie that could be primarily told with action, but that wasn’t just a visceral experience, and that could be a really emotional one as well. So I thought about maybe taking the engine of a sports film, of an underdog story and infusing that into this other genre. When thinking of underdogs, I started thinking about, well, what’s a protagonist that we rarely see on screen? Then I went to Native American and Comanche in particular, who have historically been so often relegated to playing the sidekick or the villain and never really the hero. Then when thinking of what that period was and what science fiction element could feel right, not like a bad mixture, but more like that peanut butter and jelly that really would go great together. The ‘Predator’ came to mind because it’s what it represents thematically and that it’s always coming hunting, searching for the alpha, seemed to make so much sense with what our protagonist story is dealing with. The period sci-fi of it all just sort of melted together.
MF: In commentary on the Blu-ray, you mention that the original plan was to have all the dialogue in the movie be in Comanche. Can you talk about that idea and when you decided to not go in that direction?
DT: Yeah, that was the initial concept. I think just as it evolved, it started to feel like that wouldn’t be possible and was certainly quite an intense undertaking as even just filming part of the movie in Comanche. As I mentioned, I think in the commentary and some of the special features, it was originally the opening sequence and then there was a transition. Because there’s a few different languages in the film already, all of that started to feel very confusing as we started to test the film. So as we moved towards English being the primary language, we luckily found a way, especially guided by Jhane Myers our producer who’s Comanche herself, and found a way to do this Comanche language dub of the film. We’ve come a long way with our ability and technology in movie dubs. It’s not like our memory of old ‘Godzilla’ films. So yeah, we got to make a movie with a version of the film that functions as a bit of language preservation in some regard, and also is the more authentic version of the movie.
MF: The Blu-ray also includes three deleted scenes including an alternate opening sequence. Can you talk about those scenes and why they were ultimately cut from the movie?
DT: So the opening sequence, it was more oriented to the dynamics of the band and less about Naru and her relationship with her brother, which we realized was the primary focus of the movie. It was very tricky also in navigating language. I really thought initially that we could pull off the thing that ‘The Hunt for Red October’ does, that a number of films do, including another John McTiernan film, ‘13th Warrior.’ It’s also worth mentioning that the original ‘Predator’ was also directed by John McTiernan. So it felt like, “Oh, we can do it,” but it just felt too heavy-handed in the language of our movie and the aesthetic of our movie to do something so aggressive. So we moved off of that. Then there’s another deleted scene with Naru and a young girl in her band that came up in the commentary that I had forgotten about until Amber had mentioned as we watched the movie together. According to the commentary, she mentions that one scene that didn’t make the final cut, that when we shot it was a moment that her character Naru really coalesced. Really what it was for me was a couple of things. One, this is a relationship between an older woman and a young girl that we don’t often see in movies like this, and there was a softness to it that we don’t often see in movies that are this aggressive, that I love aesthetically. There’s wind blowing through her hair and it was so elemental. Also, Amber’s physicality as we were still trying to figure it out as Naru, there was just something in her performance that we were able to look at and find our way through the rest of the movie after we’d shot that scene. Then there’s this awesome Previs that was meant to be a really exhilarating treetop chase sequence, and I loved that there was this very clever use of the Predator’s cut clamp weapon that Naru was turning against him. But our schedule was getting tighter and tighter, and that’s a giant sequence that I was a little bit anxious about how we could execute it effectively because so much of the movie has such a grounded aesthetic. We were building trees, we had blocked off this parking lot outside of our stage to start building trees, but the schedule was tight and I could have fought to squeeze it in, and instead I allowed it to be a bit of a negotiating chip to buy myself more time for filming other things. Then it allowed us to have a montage sequence of Nadu preparing to take down the Predator and set her traps. That made Naru in the end scene that was there in any version much more clever in that sequence and helped for some clarity issues. So ultimately I do feel confident that it was a wise decision, but I also love that it’s now available for people to see. It’s fun to see what filmmakers, we look at all the time, this animatic Previs, which now people at home can see what it looks like before we shoot the movie.
MF: Can you talk about casting Amber Midthunder, what she brought to Naru and the direction that you wanted the character to go in?
DT: All props to our casting director Renee Haynes, who had to find a lot of awesome, largely unknown actors. Amber was a little more known and when I first met her, I knew right away that she was the one, but we still put her through her paces. We had her audition and screen test performing one scene three ways in English, in Comanche, and silently, a dialogue scene without any words. She was tremendous and emotional, and so much of this movie is nonverbal so that was just such a key piece to see that she had inherently. Then there’s a physical portion of the audition, all of it, even in the physical portion, it wasn’t just, “Look at how physically capable she is.” It was like, “Oh, she’s still storytelling even when she’s just hopping over some mats and sliding under a broom.” She was great. The experience of making it, not only was it fun because she’s a good human and it easily could have been very unfun. We were in very uncomfortable places like mud and dangerous cliffs and things. A lot of opportunity to have a bad attitude and it never went there. She was amazing. Our crew was amazing. I count ourselves lucky to have had such a great experience just in the making of the movie.
MF: Since this movie is set before the original ‘Predator,’ can you talk about the specific look you wanted for the Predator character and making his weapons primitive but still advanced for the time?
DT: There was a real high wire act as we were in the development and prep phase of finding a way that we could visually tell the story that this is a creature that is prior to the ones we’ve seen before, but not letting go of the premise. The fun of the premise is here’s someone with very Earthly means up against something that is beyond, the “David versus Goliath” of that. So we found a way to blend more analog weaponry, but still with tech infused. So there’s a shield and there’s bolts, but the bolts are laser guided and the shield is deployed in a very advanced way. He’s less armored, the creature, than we’ve seen before, but still has some tech and the mask is a piece of technology, yet it is made of bones and embraces more the ethos, the sort of guiding principle of the predator, which is a trophy hunter, so it’s wearing its trophy on its head, and on its face. We definitely crossed lines over and over in prep, of is this too far forward, is this is too advanced, and on the other side, what I feared was in making it less advanced, I never wanted to make it easier. Like, “Oh, that’s why this character can take down the Predator. We made it easier for them,” and that’s not what we wanted to do. So I think in the end we struck a nice balance.
MF: Do you have ideas for more films in this series, and would they be direct sequels to ‘Prey,’ or would you continue to examine the Predators visits to Earth in different time periods?
DT: I definitely can’t speak to any specifics, but to answer your first question, yes, I have had lots of ideas about what to do. I think there’s so many awesome things and the primary focus when I was thinking of all the cool things to do and all of my collaborators thinking of what more could we do was not just to merely tell the next minute of the story that was established in this film. That this movie I think does something special, and the idea would be in going forward, if we were to ever make a sequel, that it also could be special. What else is there in ‘Predator’ fiction in any of the universe or even this genre of movie that hasn’t been done before? Those are the things that excite me the most. So those are the kinds of things we were thinking about.
MF: Finally, congratulations on the film’s Emmy nominations. Since the movie was originally intended to be a feature film, were you surprised to be nominated for an Emmy?
DT: Sure was. Definitely. Certainly you go in making a movie and you don’t think an Emmy is in your future, is part one of that. Part two of that is you make a ‘Predator’ movie filled with spine rips and head slices and you don’t think Emmy. Obviously, we put a lot of blood and sweat into trying to make the movie much more than those things, but still it is remarkably cool of the TV Academy to recognize a movie like ours.
‘Prey’ will be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD October 3, with over two hours of all-new bonus features.
Premiering on Hulu August 5th is the latest movie in the ‘Predator’ franchise called ‘Prey,’ which is a prequel to the original and directed by ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’s Dan Trachtenberg.
‘Prey’ is set in the Comanche Nation during 1719 and follows a resilient and highly skilled young warrior named Naru (Amber Midthunder) as she discovers that what she is stalking is actually a highly evolved alien with a technologically advanced arsenal.
The result is a brilliant and thrilling movie that recaptures the magic and terror of the original, while featuring a career-making performance from Amber Midthunder.
Set in 1719, the film begins by introducing us to Naru (Midthunder), a young Comanche woman who was trained as a healer but dreams of being a hunter like her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers). She soon sees an alien spaceship dropping off someone or something, but not knowing what it really is, thinks it’s a sign from the spirits that she is ready to prove herself as a hunter. Taabe agrees to take her with him as he hunts a mountain lion that attacked their tribe.
However, as they are about to trap the lion, they are attacked by an unknown assailant, who is eventually revealed to be an alien being with technologically advanced weapons, that we as the audience know as a Predator (Dane DiLiegro). Now, with her brother injured, Naru must stop the French voyageurs who are threatening to destroy their land and defeat the alien creature in order to save her tribe and become the hunter she’s always dreamed of being.
The franchise began in 1987 with director John McTiernan’s groundbreaking film ‘Predator,’ which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. The original saw Arnold as the leader of a military platoon who while on a mission in the jungle discover an alien creature is hunting them.
The later films in the series abandoned the idea of one person hunting the Predator in a remote location to lesser success, with ‘Predator 2’ and the more recent ‘The Predator,’ both taking place in urban cities with a large group of characters trying to kill the creature.
2010’s highly underrated ‘Predators’ was the closest of the sequels to keep the original formula, although it takes place on an alien planet and not Earth. And don’t even get me started on the ‘Alien vs. Predator’ films as I don’t really consider them cannon.
But ‘Prey’ takes the series back to its roots, crafting a compelling and terrifying story about one person alone in the woods trying to survive the Predator’s wrath. Setting the movie in 1719 was a brilliant move not only to stand-out from the other films in the series, but it also allows the audience to see something we haven’t seen in the franchise before, which is a low-tech Predator, even though his technology is still advanced for 1719.
’10 Cloverfield Lane’ director Dan Trachtenberg delivers some his finest work yet setting a somber mood and tone for the film from the opening sequence. His choice to use the Predator sparingly was also wise, as it adds to the frightening tone of the film with characters fighting a creature that we can’t even see.
It also allows the human characters to actually be the leads of the movie, as you can relate to them easier than you can a Predator, who by mistake was made the main character in some of the sequels. ‘Predator’ movies are at their best when we as an audience can root for the human characters to defeat the monster. Trying to understand the creature and relate to him has never worked in this series and Trachtenberg successfully avoids that trap.
In fact, there are times when watching this film, you actually forget you are watching a ‘Predator’ movie, and that’s a good thing! It means that the other characters, setting, and situations are compelling enough on their own that you don’t need the Predator, but you are always thrilled when it shows up!
Fans of the series will not be disappointed by the look of the Predator, which is on par with what we expect from the character but is made even more interesting by the fact that this is an older version of the creature. Trachtenberg has fun with the retro Predator weapons, and actor Dane DiLiegro gives a menacing physical performance playing the role originally intended for Jean-Claude Van Damme (Fun fact!).
Dakota Beavers gives a solid performance as Taabe, Naru’s over protective brother. At times the character can be annoying, because he keeps telling Naru she can’t be the hunter she dreams of, when we all know she’s the true hero of the film. But the character comes full circle by the end and really supports his sister in his own heroic way.
While in a somewhat limited role, Michelle Thrush is also quite good as Naru and Taabe’s mother, Aruka. Again, she is another character constantly telling Naru she can’t do what we know she can but does give her daughter the inspiration she needs to fulfill her goals.
With this film, director Dan Trachtenberg establishes himself as one of the best filmmakers working today. While Trachtenberg’s smart direction and the clever screenplay by Patrick Aison help make ‘Prey’ so great, it’s really the exceptional performance of Amber Midthunder as Naru that really makes this movie special. She is a very talented actress that you are going to be seeing a lot more of in the future.
Like Arnold in the original, you need a compelling character and an exceptional actor to make a ‘Predator’ movie truly entertaining. As seen in the disappointing installments of the series, just having a Predator kill people is not enough. You need characters that we can admire, relate to, and root for to defeat the creature and make it a great movie.
Amber Midthunder gives a tremendous performance as Naru, and I for one would love to see a sequel to ‘Prey’ following her character after the events of this film. Midthunder gives Naru an innocence and vulnerability that is essential to the character, while still possessing enough courage and strength to make us believe she is actually capable of defeating the Predator.
In the end, ‘Prey’ is a fantastic action movie and the best film in the series since the original. With fresh direction, a smart script, and a fantastic performance from Midthunder, ‘Prey’ is a surprisingly great film that both ‘Predator’ fans and non-fans alike will enjoy.
