Predator Franchise

[Captain Marvel]

People keep asking for a movie set on the Predator's homeworld. I think this is a mistake. First, you lose absolutely ALL of the Predators' mystique by going this route. We don't get a little taste of their culture, we get the whole damn meal. Secondly, the only way that can work is if Earth were to launch a full scale invasion of the Predator homeworld. Then it won't be a "who's the predator, who's the prey" storyline. It's just simply a space war movie between humans & Predators. It's Star Wars, or Battle Beyond The Stars, or The Last Starfighter, but certainly NOT Predator.

Agreed. Also, whatever culture they come up with will inevitably be a letdown. Either they're a caricature of a society comically devoted to hunting and nothing else, or they're not ALL hunters, which means some of them have 9-5 jobs. Keep it to lone hunters or small groups. For all we know, they might be the drunk rednecks of Predator society, driving around the galaxy with a rebel flag taped to the inside of their space ships, honking their horns, and blasting everything in sight. Point is, they work in small doses. Do more than that, try to fill them out like you would a Star Trek alien race, and you lose what makes them special.

 

[Thundarr]

Agreed. Also, whatever culture they come up with will inevitably be a letdown. Either they're a caricature of a society comically devoted to hunting and nothing else, or they're not ALL hunters, which means some of them have 9-5 jobs. Keep it to lone hunters or small groups. For all we know, they might be the drunk rednecks of Predator society, driving around the galaxy with a rebel flag taped to the inside of their space ships, honking their horns, and blasting everything in sight. Point is, they work in small doses. Do more than that, try to fill them out like you would a Star Trek alien race, and you lose what makes them special.

Exactly. I'm sure not everyone in Pred Society is a hunter. There must be engineers and weapon smiths, possibly even farmers and ranchers, on their homeworld. I mean, someone has to design and build their spaceships, weapons, and technology. And they gotta eat something when they aren't hunting. I think hunting is merely a means of improving one's status in their culture. The reason they travel to alien worlds in search of prey is because they've already hunted all dangerous, indigeoness wildlife on their world into extinction (which may in fact be what prompted their entire Hunters' Code to begin with, to ensure such a thing never happens again).

 

[gohei_]

I liked all of them, i hope they make more. And would also love to see another AVP game

I was scared out of my pants from the first game. I played through maybe the first 2 mission on each campaign but was to scared to do anymore lol.

 

[Teelie]

Despite my loathing of AVP 2: Requiem, it did get it right in the tease of their homeworld or at least a large colony or outpost. It was enough to show that yes, they do indeed live "civilized" with cities but not so much as to reveal the how of it.

Also, the AVP games, especially the second one, were fun as hell. I really liked the original AVP PC game too. That was one of the first games that really motivated me to get a proper graphics card. I had a decent if a bit dated Voodoo3 at the time.

 

[NinjaCarm]

I too liked Predator 2, don't know why people didn't like it as much. Obviously the first Predator will always be the best.

This is how I feel. Predator is a classic and the best, but Predator 2 is its own and nothing to laugh at, in fact, it's very enjoyable, a good action / creature flick, and added a lot to the mythos of the Predator franchise.

I love them both.

Have to say I like idea of setting a Predator film back in ancient times or like versus feudal Japan, or Roman Empire, or cowboys, etc. Sounds like it could be very cool indeed. Not really digging the Predator TV series idea.

Just hope to see another one soon.

 

[Thundarr]

This is how I feel. Predator is a classic and the best, but Predator 2 is its own and nothing to laugh at, in fact, it's very enjoyable, a good action / creature flick, and added a lot to the mythos of the Predator franchise.

I love them both.

Have to say I like idea of setting a Predator film back in ancient times or like versus feudal Japan, or Roman Empire, or cowboys, etc. Sounds like it could be very cool indeed. Not really digging the Predator TV series idea.

Just hope to see another one soon.

Same here. The original will always be considered the better of the two movies, likely because it was so original in its concept. The second one was done very well, and had you never seen the first one you would find it to be a very original concept as well. It's only problem is that it is a sequel, and as such cannot be seen as anything original. But as a stand alone flick, it does everything it needed to do. If I were to give Predator a 10/10 rating, then Predator 2 would get a 9/10 or even a 9.5/10.

I've been calling for a Predator movie set in the past for years. Predator vs Vikings virtually writes itself (Beowulf!).

A Predator TV series isn't such a bad idea, if done right. It would be best if the seasons were kept short (10 to 12 episodes each, like Dexter or The Shield). Each season would have an over all story arc (a Predator hunting samurai in Feudal Japan for instance), where a warrior becomes the Predator's prey once per episode. Then there's a final showdown between the Predator and the protagonist in the season finale. Whether or not the protagonist wins is irrelivent. Just make the final fight brutal and violent.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[dark_b]

Original Suit with Jean-Claude Van Damme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1GfUoB0kog

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

It surprises me how many people that are fans have never seen the original design or even heard that JCVD was originally set to play The Predator, it seems everytime it comes up in a convo I'm the only one that has any clue.

 

[Teelie]

The original concept looks like a giant mantis-man.

 

[Resistance61513]

I prefer Predator to be in the jungle. I don't know, just seems the atmosphere fits his motive better.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Why is it so hard to re-create the original predator?

None of the later incarnations have come close.

 

[AnneFan]

I prefer Predator to be in the jungle. I don't know, just seems the atmosphere fits his motive better.

I don't mind the city location for the character, but yes, I do prefer the jungle. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, against the elements as well as a predator. That's real survival.

 

[DA_Champion]

It's ok for a franchise to die.

 

[The Endless]

Yea, the first Predator holds up to this day. The second is a lot of fun and added more layers to the Predator mythos. Predators is ok, but isn't as inspired as the first two.

Leave it at that.

I feel the same about the Alien franchise. I'm perfectly happy with Alien, Aliens and Alien 3. Please no more.

 

[DA_Champion]

I'm even happy with Alien vs Predator 1, Alien vs Predator 2, Predators, and Prometheus, I have nothing against dumb popcorn blockbusters that deliver good action scenes: see my positive review of CA: The Winter Soldier and my positive assessments of Transformers. If they're done well, I'll watch them.

However, if studios are going to spend 300 million dollars, might as well look into spending it on the best possible option.

 

[Lord]

You could make a point at AVP 1, but AVP was one of the worst popcorn blockbusters i've ever seen, the action was terrible and the film was so dark i could barelly see anything most of the time, not to mention turning both of these legendary franchises into your run of the mill slasher flick.

I still defent that an AvP movie could be great, but up until now the results have been less than decent, witht he 2nd film being the worst offender.

 

[DA_Champion]

You could make a point at AVP 1, but AVP was one of the worst popcorn blockbusters i've ever seen, the action was terrible and the film was so dark i could barelly see anything most of the time, not to mention turning both of these legendary franchises into your run of the mill slasher flick.

I still defent that an AvP movie could be great, but up until now the results have been less than decent, witht he 2nd film being the worst offender.

I know, but I still enjoyed it.

 

[dude stannis]

It surprises me how many people that are fans have never seen the original design or even heard that JCVD was originally set to play The Predator, it seems everytime it comes up in a convo I'm the only one that has any clue.

Technically Van Damme gets about 4 kills in Predator. Since he's actually doing a lot of the invisibility movement on screen.

 

[Gabe99]

Guns and (Shea) Butter: An Oral History of 'Predator'
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the action-horror classic's release, THR spoke to key players who persevered through oppressive heat, bugs, a "red rubber chicken" and the diva-esque behavior of a future star (no, not that one) to launch a franchise.

In June 1987, 20th Century Fox released Predator. The story, by first-time screenwriters Jim and John Thomas, centered on Maj. Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger, then still not quite having joined the first-name-only club), the leader of a team of mercenaries sent into the Central American jungle on a rescue mission who come face to face (well, Dutch does at least) with an alien hunter who makes trophies of men's skulls.

The film combined pioneering visual effects, pithy dialogue, abundant gore, big-ass guns (of all kinds) and "one ugly motherf—er" of a now-iconic movie monster. It was a hit with audiences upon its release, but in the years since its legacy has only grown.

Whether it was the heat of the jungle or the haze of time that accrues over three decades, the stories from people involved took on almost a Rashomon-like quality. Why did the studio shut the film down? How much of the film was completed at that point (estimates range from "90 percent" to "less than half")? What happened with the original Predator design? (Did it look like a "cockroach," a "f—ing chicken," a "bloody big rat"?) Why did Jean-Claude Van Damme — who was originally cast to play the alien — get fired?

One thing that everyone whom THR spoke with did agree on, however: Filming in the jungle in the dead of summer is, uh, not ideal.

The origin of Predator.

 

[Breogan]

 

[TheVileOne]

To be perfectly honest, I don't know why Predator needs a new film or needs an update. I think a big part of the problem with Hollywood today is that they can't let go of past classics or successes and they keep trying to reinvent the wheel. Don't try to reinvent the wheel or sliced bread. Make the new thing.

Where else can you really go with a Predator movie? They tried Alien vs. Predator. They tried a sequel that was a lot similar to the first one with Predators. They tried the Shane Black route. None of them really worked.

Why do we need to fix it or go back to it? Just let it go.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Hollywood today? Welcome to Hollywood since the beginning. How many Frankenstein sequels and spin-offs did they make in the 40s?

 

[Flash525]

The original Predator film was, and will always be a classic. Predator 2, not so much. Both Alien vs Predator films left a lot to be desired, although having rewatched them both on occasion, I appreciate the first of the two a lot more; the second, whilst it had a more badass Predator, was poorly filmed (too dark) and I didn't particularly like the idea of the hybrid.

Predators (with Adrian Broody) was (I thought) quite good. Not quite up there with the original Predator film, but it was better than anything else that has come since. I also enjoyed (the first half) of the latest Predator film. It had something going for it before the introduction of the enhanced Predator, and then that piss poor ending.

I wouldn't mind someone taking another shot at an Alien vs Predator film, but one that's stand alone; set in the future on a colony world, a trio of Predators, a small army of marines, and aliens running around all over the place. A true three way battle until the inevitable happens in that the Preds and Humans join forces to defeat the aliens (I suppose this'll happen eventually). If there were to ever be an AvP3 though, it would need to be thought out and done well. No rushing ahead because it'll end up ruined.

As for another solo Predator (or Alien) film, nah. I think I'm done with them for a while.

 

[metaphysician]

I think that the problem afflicting the Predator 'franchise' is that. . . fundamentally, the first Predator movie was not primarily *about* "alien shows up, kills people". It was primarily about, on a thematic level, the subversion of the action movie genre of the time, using the titular alien as a way to take the tropes of the 80s action movie, and turn it into a horror movie. Predator 2, whatever its flaws, still worked on a lot of levels because it still worked to subvert a popular genre, in this case the "cop movie" of the time. Since then, however, pretty much every Predator movie has been about nothing but itself.

To really bring new life to the Predator franchise, they need to go back to the roots. No, this doesn't mean turning it into a retro-80s action movie in a jungle. Rather, they need to find pick a contemporary popular movie genre, and use the predator mythos and imagery as a tool for subverting that genre. Which would be tricky, because the most obvious popular modern genre, the super hero, is also the most resistant to being subverted this way ( "alien hunter shows up" is not actually an outside context problem in any way for said genre ).