Prey offers a new take on the Predator franchise, one that showcases a different take on the iconic killer alien. The released trailers for Prey showcase a different type of Predator, a stripped-down look that aims to enable a cat-and-mouse chase closer to the original Predator than its more ambitious sequels. While the Predator is largely similar to previous iterations of the monster, there are some changes aimed at making it a more appropriate threat for Prey's unique setting.
Directed by 10 Cloverfield Lane helmer Dan Trachtenberg, Prey is set three centuries before the first Predator, and is set primarily among the Comanche Indigenous society who suddenly finds themselves having to confront an alien threat with advanced technology. Legion star Amber Midthunder stars as Naru, a female hunter who bristles against her society's patriarchal norms. After the largely negative reception to The Predator, the previous attempt at re-inventing the Predator franchise, many were excited to see the series move in a different direction and the intriguing combination of Indigenous culture and a classic science-fiction villain.
The Predator franchise constantly been changing and reinventing itself, and Prey seems to be the latest in a series of pivots. This also means a slightly different Predator alien than the one featured in previous movies, although with plenty of elements from the iconic original design.
How The Predator Looks Different In Prey
The first trailers for Prey keep the Predator's design mostly hidden, maintaining an aura of mystique around the character. However, there are glimpses of a different-looking Predator from previous movies. The bulky body armor from the original movie is absent, suggesting that the Predator is either wearing lighter and more flexible armor or baring its actual skin. The Predator's iconic dreadlock-like quills and some of its simple weapons also return, including its sharp claws and spear.
The Predator still has his iconic skull-like mask, but it also seems to have been redesigned to be less angular and blocky than the 1980s design. The tusk-like protrusions that come from the side of the Predator's mask are also emphasized more in this design. This may have been to better emphasize the animalistic nature of the Predator. The trailer shows Midthunder's Naru first coming across the Predator while hunting a bear, and the two are explicitly compared during a line in the shortened TV trailer. Part of the reason for the design may have been to emphasize how the movie uses the Comanche's history of hunting large animals. There has also been speculation that the Predator's new mask could be a trophy taken from a past victim.
The skull-like mask of the Predator has also moved from a metallic surface in to a material that looks more like segmented bone. This may be to further complement the animal motif as well as better match the weapons and shield that the Predator uses in Prey. Trachtenberg stated in an interview that he wanted to make the Predator more of a "creature" and make the head more proportional to the body, while keeping the design intimidating. It also makes sense that, just as humans have progressed in the last 300 years, Predator technology may not be as well-developed during the time frame of Prey as it is in the 1987 Predator and its sequels.
Prey's Predator Doesn't Have The Plasma Caster Weapon
Somewhat surprisingly, the Predator's most iconic weapon, the plasma caster, will not be present in Prey. In an interview, Trachtenberg explained that the plasma caster was one of the first things he changed about the iconic alien, describing it as too much of an "instant win button." In the original Predator, a heavily-armed group of modern mercenaries with near-superhuman muscles, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch, was just barely able to take down a single Predator aimed with a plasma caster. For Prey's heroes equipped with bows and arrows, and maybe a musket at best, it was necessary to downgrade the Predator's weapons. Again, this can be explained by this Predator coming from a less advanced society.
However, the Prey trailer does still feature the iconic triangular laser marks that the plasma caster used to target its foes. While trailers sometimes use footage that isn't included in the final movie, it seems more likely that these crosshairs are used for a different weapon. Perhaps the 1700s Predator is wielding a more primitive version of the plasma caster, or perhaps it is a different type of weapon entirely with a similar locking mechanism. Some promotional artwork and trailer images for Prey show the Predator with a shoulder holster strapped to his back, which could be designed for just such a weapon. Trachtenberg has also promised that Prey will still include plenty of Predator gadgets, even if the plasma caster isn't among them.
The Predator Now Has A Shield
One addition to the Predator's arsenal showcased in the Prey trailer is an ornate metal shield. While the Prey trailer mostly hides the Predator and its alien technology, it does show him unfolding the shield from his wristband as he prepares for battle. The Predator's shield is attached to the wrist allowing it to be easily used alongside more offensive items. The shield is actually made up of several retractable blades that are contained within the wrist unit, meaning that these blades could also be used individually for close combat.
The metal shield reflects the more old-school, low-tech approach of Prey. Just as this less-advanced Predator uses a metal spear instead of a plasma caster, it has a metal shield instead of any kind of force field or more high-tech protection. The challenge for Prey will be making this reimagined Predator just as threatening and intimidating as his more high-powered descendants. Prey is the first Predator movie released by Disney following their acquisition of the franchise as part of purchasing Fox, and is being released directly to Hulu. The changes made to the Predator's design reflect the big risks that Prey is taking in attempting to reinvent the franchise.
Key Release Dates
-
Predator 5
Release Date:2022-08-05 -
Prey
Release Date:2022-08-05
