In 2022, the Predator franchise took a sharp left turn, and it paid off big time. Through Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey, a breath of fresh air was given to a stale film series that needed a solid pick-me-up. In the end, there were a lot of things that Trachtenberg and writer Patrick Aison chose to shake up that contributed to Prey’s success. For starters, they envisioned it as not a sequel but a prequel, transporting audiences to the Northern Great Plains in 1719. This removed high-tech weapons and even guns from the equation, instead forcing its main character to rely on homemade tools.
Additionally, the project’s protagonist was a woman — a blossoming Comanche warrior named Naru, played by Amber Midthunder. The film also featured a largely indigenous cast, giving a voice and presence to a group who are often glossed over. All in all, the film, and all its action glory, became the highest-rated title on Rotten Tomatoes, taking home the near-perfect critics’ rating of 94% and eclipsing the movies that came before it.
Now, Trachtenberg has not one but two other Predator films on the way — an untitled project and Predator: Badlands — both of which are set for release later this year. But fans (including so many of us here at Collider) are really hoping that Prey wasn’t the last time we’ll see Naru and that her chapter in the franchise isn’t over yet. Recently chatting with Collider’s Meredith Loftus about her newly released high-octane flick, Novocaine, Midthunder was an open book when it came to what she knew about the hopeful sequel. Revealing that she’d love nothing more than to return to the world of Predator, the actress said:
“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening. [Laughs] I genuinely don’t. I also want to do another one. I would be happy to do another one. I love Dan Trachtenberg with my whole heart. I love that world, I love that character, and I think that there’s some fun ideas out there that I’ve heard that are very cool. I’m really excited. He obviously has Badlands coming out this year, so I’m really excited to see that. Whatever Dan does, I will always be his fan.”
What the ‘Prey’ Follow-Up Could Look Like
By the end of the film, Naru was dubbed the tribe’s War Chief, after having fought tooth and nail to achieve her warrior status. It’s also teased that there were more Predators out there than the one that Naru decapitated, leaving space for the continuation of the story. When asked where she’d like to see her character next, Midthunder kept it practical, telling Loftus:
“Well, I think we have to hope that will become real and we’ll just wait.”
Prey is now streaming on Hulu. Stay tuned at Collider for the rest of Loftus’ conversation with Midthunder.
Prey
- Release Date
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August 5, 2022
- Runtime
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1h 40m
- Director
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Dan Trachtenberg
- Writers
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Patrick Aison, Dan Trachtenberg
- Prequel(s)
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The Predator, Predators, Predator 2, Predator
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