Unless you’ve been living under the proverbial rock for the last twelve months, you should be well aware that the latest effort to breathe some badly-needed life back into the ailing ‘Predator’ franchise is currently in production. Following on from the critical car-crash that was the ‘AVP’ films, and the disappointingly tepid audience response to Robert Rodriguez’s 2010 ‘Predators’ offering, original cast member Shane Black was asked by studio execs to go away and come up with a new and inventive script for the series.
Filming is currently underway on the subsequent project, which was somewhat predictably titled ‘The Predator’, but carries the slightly more imaginative tag line of “You’ll never see him coming…” (See what they did there?).
Of course, this being the 21st century, filming being in progress means that photos from the set will inevitably be leaking online, which is exactly what’s stated to happen. And it’s just such a new picture this week that’s revealed an interesting plot detail about the movie.
Because although it’s been called THE PREDATOR, the latest image to crop up online from the set clearly shows that the new film will feature more than one of the infamous extraterrestrial hunters. The photo, which shows a couple of the actors, including Thomas Jane, chilling out between scenes on an armoured personnel carrier, also shows TWO Performers decked out in all-too familiar Predator regalia.
It’s been announced that this film isn’t a reboot, but is instead bridging the gap between 1990’s ‘Predator 2’ and ‘Predators’. With the US Govt by now well aware of the existence of the murderous alien game-hunters, a covert ‘seek and destroy’ mission is sanctioned against the extraterrestrial enemy. Inevitably, said endeavour goes horribly wrong, with the resultant battle spilling out into nearby suburban surroundings.
Facing off against this group of marauding Predators is a motley band of Hollywood’s hottest talent. Tasked by Edward James Olmos’s sinister military man, Boyd Holbrook has walked straight off villain duties on the set of ‘Logan’ to lead a US Special Forces unit into battle. Backing him up will be fellow Marvel stars Olivia Munn and Tom Jane, as well as GoT’s Alfie Allen and Keegan Michael-Key. Alas, one actor who isn’t joining the proceedings is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has confirmed he won’t be involved in the movie, despite initial rumours of a cameo for his character, Major Dutch Schaefer.
Intriguingly, though, there does appear to have been a cheeky little bit of meta-casting, as it’s been announced that Jake Busey has been cast in an unspecified role. Being as his father, infamous Hollywood Hellraiser Gary Busey played the slimy Peter Keyes back in ‘Predator 2’, there’s every likelihood that Jake will be playing some relation to the ill-fated CIA Spook.
As ever, with a little bit more information about the movie appearing online everyday, we’ll be on hand to bring it to you as soon as it appears.
The Predator is scheduled for release on August 3rd, 2018.