The iconic alien warrior has repeatedly failed to live up to its first outing but the prequel story for Predator 5 (AKA Prey) is the best way to reboot the franchise. Although filmed under the title Skulls, the prequel's official title has been revealed as Prey and will release on Hulu in 2022. Predator 5 is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, whose previous foray into the sci-fi/horror genre with 10 Cloverfield Lane was a critical and financial success.
The famed creature debuted in 1987’s Predator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of a paramilitary rescue team who is hunted by an alien in a Central American rainforest. The masked Predator used a variety of futuristic weapons, including a cloaking device to stalk its victims undetected. Predator 5 will reboot the franchise by journeying 300 years into America’s past, following female warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder, Legion) as she protects her tribe from the alien hunter.
Set in the Comanche Nation, the story provides an opportunity to deliver a historical horror while avoiding the mistakes of previous entries, which is Predator's 5 best reboot approach after other sequels repeatedly tried and failed to replicate the original. After three barely linked sequels and two crossovers with the Alien franchise, giving the Predator a prequel story demonstrates the filmmakers are striving to deliver something very different. Prequels are difficult to get right, but Prey's unique setting holds potential to effectively expand on the franchise's lore.
Predator 5/Prey's story taking place 300 years ago gives the series greater freedom to deepen the species' characterization and avoid overt comparisons to the original. The core idea behind the (currently six) Predator movies is unlikely to change but placing focus on Native Americans can put a new spin on the aliens' history with humanity. Predator 5 details their first trip to Earth, arguably delivering the best kind of origin story without needlessly delving into the Predator homeworld. Predator 2 teased various skulls in the trophy room aboard the alien ship and Danny Glover's cop was gifted a 1715 flintlock pistol, but the hunters' earliest interaction with humans is unclear. The prequel can better explore their code of honor and rules of sportsmanship - providing they are even in place during this time. Predator 5/Prey could mark the first time the aliens find a truly worthy opponent in Naru, thereby explaining their continued presence on Earth. The tribal elements might inspire the aliens to adapt their hunting and combat styles for future battles too, gradually evolving into their original 1987 Predator depiction.
For Predator 5’s prequel to successfully reboot the franchise, the Comanche Nation must play an important role and not act as a mere backdrop for mindless killing. Schwarzenegger defeated the 1987 hunter by abandoning modern weapons for more primitive traps and leaning into his survival instincts. Predator sequels suffered from being too similar, frequently showcasing soldiers and police reliant on heavy firepower, only for them to fall prey to the tactics used by previous Predators. Comanche warriors will surely display an entirely different mentality to modern-day soldiers, allowing for more creative setpieces. Their fight for survival against technologically advanced invaders could provide effective commentary on Europeans' brutal colonizing of America.
Predator 5/Prey's advantage over other prequels is that it doesn't require much exposition, unlike Ridley Scott's divisive origin story Prometheus. That Alien prequel strayed too far from the source material, abandoning haunted house scares and posing more questions than answers. Prey can avoid this by depicting a comparatively more grounded story that emphasizes character and tension. Two tribal warriors coming into conflict and attempting to understand one another promises an uncomplicated but suitably thrilling narrative, and this will (hopefully) prove Predator 5's prequel story is the best reboot approach.