Disney and 20th Century Studios announces Predator 5's official title to be Prey and reveals the film is set for a Summer 2022 release. Directed by 10 Cloverfield Lane's Dan Trachtenberg on a script from Patrick Aison, the film will act as a prequel to the long-running sci-fi action franchise. The story will be set 300 years in the past in the Comanche Nation and center on Naru, a skilled female warrior who must protect her tribe against the highly evolved titular alien.

Development on Prey began during the production on the last installment, Shane Black's The Predator, when franchise producer John Davis was presented with the concept he and Aison had been working on for a few years. Production on the film has largely been kept under wraps, only being confirmed to be a fifth Predator movie in late November in addition to its Comanche lead and prequel setting. With production on Prey having wrapped in September, the studio has brought some exciting news for Predator fans.

Related: Why Predator Reboots Haven't Worked (& What Predator 5 Needs To Do Right)

As part of the Disney+ Day announcements, Variety has brought word that Predator 5 has landed the official title of Prey. 20th Century Studios has also set the latest installment in the action sci-fi franchise for a summer 2022 Hulu streaming release, though no specific date has been announced at the time of writing. The prequel was previously shot under the title of Skulls.

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While fans of the Predator franchise may be excited to hear of its impending return in summer 2022, some may find themselves a little disappointed by its streaming release plan. Though the Hulu release doesn't inherently rule out a theatrical release entirely for Prey, the likelihood that the film will see a simultaneous release in homes and on the big screen does seem low when looking at other 20th Century Studios films to hit streaming platforms such as Vacation Friends. Audiences may be making their way back to theaters, but the decision to shift Prey to Hulu may provide a better hope for the franchise to continue afterwards, given the John Cena and Lil Rel Howery-led comedy became a viewer hit and saw a sequel swiftly put into development.

Regardless of the film's release model, anticipation is sure to remain high for Prey. Trachtenberg has been careful with signing on for his second feature project following the success of 10 Cloverfield Lane, making his attachment to Predator 5 and his and Aison's multiple-years effort developing the story for the prequel a promising sign of the film's potential to put the franchise back on track. Only time will tell when Prey arrives on Hulu sometime in Summer 2022.

More: Predator 5/Skull News & Updates: Everything We Know

Source: Variety