‘Prey’: Director Dan Trachtenberg Says There Could Be More ‘Predator’ Movies On The Way

The fifth and latest film in the “Predator” franchise, “Prey,” hits Hulu this August. And don’t let the direct-to-streaming release fool you into thinking this new film will be as shoddy as something like “Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem.” It’s part of 20th Century Studio’s new streaming mandate that emphasizes streaming as a legitimate release platform for upcoming movies.

READ MORE: ‘Prey’ Trailer: A Wild New Hunt Begins August 5 On Hulu

And is there a better franchise than “Predator” to help lead the charge for 20th Century Studios? There are a couple of clunkers in the series, like 2010’s “Predators,” but the sci-fi actioner remains a beloved one for fans. And “Prey” director Dan Trachtenberg thinks there’s lots of potential for future “Predator” films. “There are a lot of exciting ideas for what could be next for the franchise,” Trachtenberg told Time Out in a recent interview. “The things that most excite me as the boldest swings and I think there’s scope to do other things that haven’t been done before.” And it’s true: there are so many potential settings where a Predator could wreak havoc but also meet its match against a human adversary. Like a pirate ship, or Renaissance Europe, or Ancient Egypt (but now this sounds like the “Assassin’s Creed” series).

“Prey” might be the boldest “Predator” film to date. The film takes place 300 years ago on America’s Great Plains, where a female Comanche warrior faces off against the intergalactic hunter in deadly cat-and-mouse pursuit. And the film will be action-heavy, focused less on story than on the intensity of the battle between human and alien. “There’s not a lot of dialogue in the movie – it’s largely told through action,’ said Trachtenberg.” So, imagine 1987’s classic “Predator” with Arnold Schwarzeneggar with 2015’s survival epic “The Revenant,” and that’s “Prey.”

Amber Midhunter, from last year’s Netflix thriller “The Ice Road” with Liam Neeson, plays Naru, the Comanche who goes up against this movie’s leaner, meaner Predator. The film boasts many other First Nation actors, including Cody Big Tobacco, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and more. Another element of note: in honor of the film’s First Nation setting and cast, “Prey” gets a Comanche language dub as part of its release. It’s the first time a Hollywood movie has a release in Comanche, but it’s also available to watch in English. “Dubbing has come a long way,” said Trachtenberg, “it won’t feel like an old Shaw Brothers kung fu movie. I feel like it adds a whole new layer of authenticity.”  

So, while Trachtenberg teased what could be the next possible entry in the “Predator” franchise, “Prey” looks like the most original one yet. And the “10 Cloverfield Lane” director promised that Midhunter’s showdown against the Predator will be epic. “‘It was a month or two of physical training, not just to learn the choreography of the fight sequences but learning to work as a unit with the other Comanche hunters,” Trachtenberg commented. So, even though these Native Americans don’t have the Predator’s advanced technology, expect their face-off to still be intense. And since Trachtenberg went on to call the Comanche “the SEAL Team Six of their time” in the Time Out interview, expectations for “Prey” are high.

“Prey” releases exclusively on Hulu on August 5. Watch the trailer for the film below.