The upcoming “Prey” serves as a big shift for the “Predator” franchise, a film that seemingly takes a big creative swing by putting the creature in a specific period setting and returning to the franchise’s hardcore survival thriller roots.
Anticipation is high for the film and its director Dan Trachtenberg says that he sees lots of potential for future films in the franchise so long as it keeps taking risks. He tells Time Out:
“There are a lot of exciting ideas for what could be next for the franchise. 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.”
Certainly, the film’s central premise of putting the creature(s) in specific settings and locations in history and watching them run amuck like a variation on the “Assassin’s Creed” formula is appealing.
“Prey” unfolds on America’s Great Plains three centuries ago where a female Comanche warrior (Amber Midhunter) faces off against the intergalactic hunter in deadly cat-and-mouse pursuit.
One key thing which Trachtenberg brings back is less of a focus on the story and more on the battle: “There’s not a lot of dialogue in the movie – it’s largely told through action.”
For what little dialogue there is, “Prey” also gets a Comanche language dub as part of its release and Trachtenberg says it won’t be jarring to those who want to try it out that way: “Dubbing has come a long way, it won’t feel like an old Shaw Brothers kung fu movie. I feel like it adds a whole new layer of authenticity.”
“Prey” releases exclusively on Hulu on August 5th.
