The Predator franchise is a bit of a mixed bag, one of the strongest sci-fi concepts in film, occasionally mired by hit or miss execution. Fortunately, a new entry in the franchise is reportedly in development with a promising filmmaker at the helm and an absolutely striking premise, hopefully bringing the franchise into a bold new era.
After four films; the genre-defining 1987 original, the slightly dull sequel, the brilliant but underappreciated return to form and the disappointing newest entry, the franchise is in chaos. The upcoming entry is, like its central creature, very well cloaked, but what little is known is fascinating.
The upcoming Predator film is currently referred to as Skulls, or potentially Skull, but neither title is certain. The film is set to be directed by Dan Trachtenberg, Trachtenberg has only one feature film under his belt, the masterful 2016 thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane. Other works of his include a single episode of Black Mirror and the pilot episode of The Boys. Trachtenberg reportedly conceptualized the film five years ago and has been working on it ever since. Crewmembers have stated filming has wrapped, but no release date is known. What little is known includes some cast details and the basic premise.
Skulls is set to star Amber Midthunder, best known for her recurring role on FX's Legion. Trachtenberg's intended marketing strategy seemed to be a bit obfuscated, but the film's role in the Predator franchise was revealed late last year. The plot so far seems to focus on the first time a Predator vessel made its way to Earth, long before the events of any previous film. Midthunder will be portraying a young Comanche woman on the path to becoming a warrior. This heavily implies that the new film will focus on an Indigenous American huntress in conflict with the galaxy's apex Predator.
This is obviously a fantastic concept, for a number of reasons. The Predator mythos is intrinsically linked with Native cultures of the Americas in narrative and in reference. Predator featured Billy Sole, an Indigenous American mercenary who is the first in the film to notice the hunter's presence. Billy and the Predator have an honorable duel which is a highlight of the film. The Aliens Vs. Predator stories, though non-canon, demonstrate that the Predators have a sort-of Ancient Aliens connection to the Aztec people, instructing them to build their pyramids. Beyond that, much of Predator society and tradition could be crafted in reference to the cultural mythos surrounding Native American society.
One of the biggest weaknesses of the Predator franchise is its characters, only the first film has a couple of recognizable faces and every film since has starred casts of forgettable fodder. Centering a strong character and an identifiable quest could bring some real pathos to the series. Even the lovable characters like Schwarzenegger's Major Dutch Schaefer or Carl Weather's Dillon, are very straightforward and fairly one-dimensional. Midthunder's character could be the Ripley that the Predator series never had, finally a hero to define the franchise.
The idea of a period Predator movie is a fascinating one, all of the previous entries taking place in the contemporary era to their release. A Predator could make its way into just about any historical period, play out its hunt and disappear into obscurity thereafter. This opens the door to nearly infinite Predator stories, from tangling with ninjas in ancient Japan to popping up throughout the second World War. Settings have not been the strong suit of the franchise, with the only really striking example was Predators, which brought audiences to the eponymous species' home planet. This new film could rectify that issue and set the path for many more interesting Predator appearances on Earth.
Predator had a certain brilliance to its presentation that is, in many ways, unmatchable by future entries, and it's clear that the upcoming film's creator understands that. If one were to watch Predator without knowing anything about it, they would be genuinely caught off guard when the titular hunter appears and starts skulking around in full cloak. The film is an explosion-filled romp before turning hard into a sci-fi slasher around the end of the first act. After the first film's success and cultural cache, everyone knew what a Predator was and what to expect. Hiding the secret and letting the audience feel shock just like the warriors on screen is a feeling that's hard to recapture, but Trachtenberg seemed to try.
Skulls was a title chosen specifically to avoid connection to the larger franchise, every other film in the series has nearly the same name. The new film is still so shrouded in mystery, and originally it was meant to be even more hidden. Originally, only the details regarding Midthunder's quest to defy gender roles and become a warrior were to be made clear. This would allow audiences, for the first time in 3 decades, to be caught off guard by the Predator. Even if the grand plan fell apart, the biggest success of the new film would be recapturing the magic of the original, and with so much still in cloaking, fans can look forward to an ambush.