Shane Black Directing Predator Sequel! - Part 2

[The Infernal]

So.. between this movie (The Predator) and Alien: Covenant, which one is the worst ? (Haven't seen either of the two but I have watched all trailers for the two)

Predator, by a large margin. Covenant is at least watchable, even if itself is a low point in its respective franchise. With Covenant you can still move the story forward, but I expect any future Predator movie will either have to retcon or ignore Predator 2018.

 

[Sithborg]

I had way too much fun with the first half of this film to completely write it off. I also enjoyed Covenant before they rushed the xenomorph, but I definitely enjoyed The Predator more.

I just want that whole lab sequence and concept turned into a whole movie. A Predator without his gear.

 

[samsnee]

I rewatched this on a plane ride. Questions I had:

The movie starts in Mexico where the predator crash lands. But both the predator and McKenna both get transported back to the facility in Georgia which by a big coincidence happens to be where his son is at that the alien weaponry was shipped to?

The biologist just also happens to be a fearless warrior who has no problem jumping onto moving cars and chasing down aliens with a tranquilizer gun?

The predator came to help give humans a weapon. Who was he coming to give it to? And I get he was defending himself in the lab, but really seemed like he would have tried to show he came in peace.

The “autism is a superpower” cliche needed to die back in the 90s.

These ragtag group of soldiers were also being transported to where? The secret alien facility? And within 24 hours of meeting McKenna are willing to die for his kid?

You have an alien predator in your facility. But you don’t monitor his vitals to see when he’s coming out of being tranquilized.

I don’t get why the predator dog was so loyal. Or why it was always able to show up at the precise moment to save the day.

This movie honestly had some decent ideas. But it was all put together so badly that none of it worked.

 

[AResistor]

As an aspie, I can't help it - I still love this movie. Just very entertaining from beginning to end and the kid was relatable to me.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I have zero desire to re-watch either, but Covenant is easily the worse movie by a mile. That film was such a boring and soulless experience, and what makes it even more frustrating is how much they completely crap on the mythology of the Xenomorph's by making it so heavily tied to Michael Fassbender's character. I hated all that stuff, and outside of Danny McBride none of the characters in that movie were the least bit likable.

 

[Verbal21]

As an aspie, I can't help it - I still love this movie. Just very entertaining from beginning to end and the kid was relatable to me.

You can decipher alien language for the government and high frequency sounds impairs you?

 

[TheVileOne]

I rewatched this on a plane ride. Questions I had:

The movie starts in Mexico where the predator crash lands. But both the predator and McKenna both get transported back to the facility in Georgia which by a big coincidence happens to be where his son is at that the alien weaponry was shipped to?

The biologist just also happens to be a fearless warrior who has no problem jumping onto moving cars and chasing down aliens with a tranquilizer gun?

The predator came to help give humans a weapon. Who was he coming to give it to? And I get he was defending himself in the lab, but really seemed like he would have tried to show he came in peace.

The “autism is a superpower” cliche needed to die back in the 90s.

These ragtag group of soldiers were also being transported to where? The secret alien facility? And within 24 hours of meeting McKenna are willing to die for his kid?

You have an alien predator in your facility. But you don’t monitor his vitals to see when he’s coming out of being tranquilized.

I don’t get why the predator dog was so loyal. Or why it was always able to show up at the precise moment to save the day.

This movie honestly had some decent ideas. But it was all put together so badly that none of it worked.

I could be misremembering, but I think the facility was in California, not Georgia?

 

[samsnee]

Maybe it was California. I may have misread the CA on the address as a GA. Regardless this movie was a hell of a lot of convenient coincidences.

 

[AResistor]

You can decipher alien language for the government and high frequency sounds impairs you?

No to the first (many have obsessive subjects of interest - for him it was numbers and technology, which could then be applied to more advanced tech, while for me it’s screenwriting and the music of word flow). Yes to the second. While I don’t hit my ears, I do visibly wince and cringe a lot (if the film only showed wincing and cringing though, I don’t think all audience members would get it). I have noise-cancelling headphones which help.

 

[TheVileOne]

Maybe it was California. I may have misread the CA on the address as a GA. Regardless this movie was a hell of a lot of convenient coincidences.

Well it's a very badly edited movie. Like why is McKenna arrested? When did he get arrested? Why would he mail all that tech back? Why not use the camo to get back over the border? Also, does he not know his mailbox bills are late? If he was smart enough to try not to mail it back to his own home address, shouldn't he also know if his payments are late on his mail box?

 

[Nathan]

It's getting even crazier. Ok, we had Ripley in an alternate ending, now they revealed who the other person was that they filmed. It's Newt. Yeah...

Third Ending Shot for The Predator is Even More Crazy…

Spoiler

 

[The Endless]

I did actually enjoy this film quite a lot. But that's because of the characters and sequences. Individual things. I also don't mind the idea of the Predators bio-engineering themselves to be even more effective.

But as a whole... It's sloppy as ****. I love Shane Black but I think he went way over the top with this. He needed someone to give him a slap and say "Ok that's cool and all... But it just won't work".

 

[The Endless]

I think Covenant was worse because it strayed so much further from the original material than The Predator did. Sure The Predator was a disappointment but it mostly kept in line with the Predator. A lot of it could have been kept if they just rewrote the worst parts of it.

Covenant all but abandoned the xenomorph to focus on David the android and how much he enjoys playing god. It only had the protomorph as much as it did because Prometheus was devoid of them and fans wanted them back, being the entire purpose of the franchise. Then in the last five minutes there is a proper xenomorph before going back to David playing god again.

I think Ridley was more interested in the whole Replicant thing than the Xeno's. Covenant is the Blade Runner sequel he never got to make. And I think as a film about a rogue Replicant trying to play God... it works pretty well. As an Alien film? Not so much.

 

[samsnee]

Well it's a very badly edited movie. Like why is McKenna arrested? When did he get arrested? Why would he mail all that tech back? Why not use the camo to get back over the border? Also, does he not know his mailbox bills are late? If he was smart enough to try not to mail it back to his own home address, shouldn't he also know if his payments are late on his mail box?

Oh yeah the first half hour is all over the place. If I went in blind not knowing anything about this franchise I would be even more confused.

Sterling’s character mentioned 3 separate years for when the predator had already visited. The first two tied into the years Predator 1 and 2 were released. But the third was like 1997, so any idea what that alluded to?

 

[Flash525]

And with that said, I’m actually ready for another cycle of drama while we wait for another crappy movie to get green-lit. And for once, I think a female Pred and a new environment/era would be the start of a fresh take.

They should finally give us a period piece and for once have the Predator get away.

I'm not personally feeling a female Predator; honestly I don't see what they would actually add to the franchise at this point. I wouldn't mind one or two to feature, but I don't have a desire for a film to focus on one.

What I'd like, at this point, is, alike above, a period piece, but something set in the past; Medieval, Roman, Viking, somewhere around there and/or within one of the great battles. Maybe even a film set during WW1 or WW2? Maybe even during Vietnam? But rather a single Predator, have a duo or trio (like Predators) but throw in a female Predator for good measure.

It'll be something fresh, and yeah, have the Predators mostly survive. I feel they're always at a loss dying all the damn time.

So.. between this movie (The Predator) and Alien: Covenant, which one is the worst ? (Haven't seen either of the two but I have watched all trailers for the two)

It's gotta' be Covenant for me, cause it was a complete mess that destroyed it's source material and ultimately went nowhere. After Prometheus (which was also a failure) I was expecting a lot more.

Whilst the latest Predator film was a disappointment, the first half I found rather enjoyable. It was only really when the Super Predator showed up that it started to go downhill for me. That scene in the facility/laboratory was everything it should've been.

It's getting even crazier. Ok, we had Ripley in an alternate ending, now they revealed who the other person was that they filmed. It's Newt. Yeah...

Third Ending Shot for The Predator is Even More Crazy…

Spoiler

View attachment 18833

If there's one thing the Alien and Predator franchises don't need, it's time travel.

 

[The Endless]

Oh yeah the first half hour is all over the place. If I went in blind not knowing anything about this franchise I would be even more confused.

Sterling’s character mentioned 3 separate years for when the predator had already visited. The first two tied into the years Predator 1 and 2 were released. But the third was like 1997, so any idea what that alluded to?

Predator 2 was set in 97.

 

[samsnee]

Hmm so what was the third year listed?

Anyway I don’t think a predator film set in a period piece would work. Unless you somehow take away the predator’s cloaking ability and weapons, it would be a total mismatch. It would be no different than someone with an AK and unlimited ammo going back to the Old West.

 

[Teelie]

The third year would be when Predators came out and they took people away to hunt on another planet.

 

[Nathan]

Hmm so what was the third year listed?

Anyway I don’t think a predator film set in a period piece would work. Unless you somehow take away the predator’s cloaking ability and weapons, it would be a total mismatch. It would be no different than someone with an AK and unlimited ammo going back to the Old West.

But aren't you forgetting Predator 1? All their weaponry did squat against the Predator. And in the end Dutch had to go old school in order to beat it. So you could set a Predator in like feudal Japan, the people believe it's an Oni or some other Demon from Japanese folklore, and that the "fire" he shoots from his shoulder and invisibility are magic. There's so much you could do with the Predator, yet all Hollywood ever gives us is the Predator vs people with a s**t ton of guns. We had 4 Movies of that now.

 

[TheDreamMaster]

I have zero desire to re-watch either, but Covenant is easily the worse movie by a mile. That film was such a boring and soulless experience, and what makes it even more frustrating is how much they completely crap on the mythology of the Xenomorph's by making it so heavily tied to Michael Fassbender's character. I hated all that stuff, and outside of Danny McBride none of the characters in that movie were the least bit likable.

I honestly kind of feel they’re equal to me in terms of being awful. Both had concepts that could’ve been good but didn’t put them together well. I hate the Xenomorph mythology being screwed with. I basically retcon it into my head that David was recreating Xenomorphs, not making them for the first time.
Meanwhile, I like the idea of Predators striving to be the best hunters. I don’t like the genetic editing angle, I feel Predators would always hunt on their own merits first, not turning themselves into genetic freaks.

 

[Neno_Kos]

But aren't you forgetting Predator 1? All their weaponry did squat against the Predator. And in the end Dutch had to go old school in order to beat it. So you could set a Predator in like feudal Japan, the people believe it's an Oni or some other Demon from Japanese folklore, and that the "fire" he shoots from his shoulder and invisibility are magic. There's so much you could do with the Predator, yet all Hollywood ever gives us is the Predator vs people with a s**t ton of guns. We had 4 Movies of that now.

I would damn watch Predator movie set in feudal Japan. Set it in samurai era during war where actually Predator hunts them. It would also make sense with whole Predator thing who is worth it as the warrior. Also possibility playing with Predator being introduced as "ninja" in shadows, but later at the end involves to 1vs1 battle with swords and katanas.

I mean possiblites are endless. If you could get sword style similar, but not identical from Ruroni Kenshin (fast and dynamic) going against Predator and actually beat him in skill that would be amazing cinema experience.

But we talking about Hollywood. So only dreams and wishes.

 

[Nathan]

A comment from Fred Dekker's personal Facebook page, talking about the "Friendly" Predators that were removed from the Movie. Found it posted on AvPGalaxy.

It was a mutual decision. We grew concerned that we were already making a movie that veered away from fan expectations, and when we showed it to some small, select audiences, our concerns were validated... so we removed the Emissaries AND the hybrids in favor of a traditional "hunt" finale, which -- in my opinion -- squandered the notion that the Predators have a larger, unseen civilization and other concerns besides sports hunting -- like, for instance, saving their civilization from extinction. It was decided that this, plus the humor in the film, was too much for the Predator fan base to swallow... and sadly, the box office and critical reception proved we were right. We should have made a cheaper, more predictable movie, and not tried to do something new.

But what do I know? I was just the co-writer.

Or, you know, don't introduce a ton of terrible new ideas that completely destroy the franchise. Looked at his Facebook page after that, and he seems quite salty that barely anyone liked the Movie.

 

[Marvolo]

About a period piece Predator film, I'd like a Predator vs samurai film, or a group of roman legionnaires vs a Predator. (Think of Outlander starring Jim Caviezel, but better quality and bigger budget.) And Id want someone like James Mangold or Christopher Mcquarrie directing it.

 

[Teelie]

A comment from Fred Dekker's personal Facebook page, talking about the "Friendly" Predators that were removed from the Movie. Found it posted on AvPGalaxy.



Or, you know, don't introduce a ton of terrible new ideas that completely destroy the franchise. Looked at his Facebook page after that, and he seems quite salty that barely anyone liked the Movie.

View attachment 18855

Replacing one stupid idea with another stupid idea doesn't make a movie better. "Friendly" Predators sounds almost as bad.

 

[Spider-Fan]

A comment from Fred Dekker's personal Facebook page, talking about the "Friendly" Predators that were removed from the Movie. Found it posted on AvPGalaxy.



Or, you know, don't introduce a ton of terrible new ideas that completely destroy the franchise. Looked at his Facebook page after that, and he seems quite salty that barely anyone liked the Movie.

View attachment 18855

The issue isn't they did something new. The issue is that what they did sucked.