Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer SFX
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Elle Fanning as Thia in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands release date, cast, trailer, and everything else we know about the sci-fi sequel
Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies I'm an Alien superfan, and the new Predator: Badlands trailer just made me lose my mind with an absolutely epic shared universe connection
Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands director explains why the upcoming sci-fi movie is an "inversion" of the franchise: "This time, the Predator is the one being hunted"
Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands is "not just a slasher movie" or "a generic sci-fi", says director Dan Trachtenberg: "It's a hardcore, brutal survival tale… but also crazy fun"
Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands director tried to make sure the movie's Alien references were added "elegantly": "There's a seduction to grab all the action figures and smush them together"
The Yautja in Dan Trachtenberg's animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Killer of Killers clears up jaw-dropping ending and fan theories of an Alien presence
Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands' Comic-Con exclusive footage shows yautja brothers in arms
A Yautja warrior leaping at an alien monster with his sword raised
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg will contribute to a new Marvel Comics prequel story for the upcoming movie
The Yautja in Dan Trachtenberg's animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
A Predator in Predator: Killer of Killers
Sci-Fi Movies New animated Predator movie with perfect Rotten Tomatoes score just gave Dan Trachtenberg's Prey a twisted new meaning
Predator: Badlands
Sci-Fi Movies Prey director teases secret new project after Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands: "I sort of rushed two at once because I was so eager to get to the third thing"
'The Sword' sequence in Predator: Killer of Killers
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Killer of Killers director wanted to make sure the sci-fi anthology movie wasn't "going to just smash action figures together"
A heavily-armed Predator in the Predator: Killer of Killers trailer
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Killer of Killers directors toyed with making it a TV series, but ultimately decided it would be "special" if the sci-fi horror was an anthology movie
A Predator in Predator: Killer of Killers
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Killer of Killers has a brand new extended ending that you can stream much sooner than you expect
Amber Midthunder as Naru in Prey
Sci-Fi Movies Predator: Badlands director teases "something akin to Prey 2", as he confirms Naru's cameo in animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers is canon: "I [have] a bunch of big ideas, I would love to get to all of them"
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Predators

Predators: Everything We Know

Features
By George Wales published 15 March 2010

Bigger, stronger, meaner. All the facts on Rodriguez's Predators...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

It's been 15 years in the making

It's been 15 years in the making

This is no flash-in-the-pan remake, but a labour of love, more than 15 years in the making.

Robert Rodriguez apparently penned the script for a third Predator sequel way back in 1994, while he was waiting to shoot Desperado , and Fox have finally decided to make use of it.

Originally, Rodriguez had planned to revive the character of Dutch from the first film, and even met with Arnie himself to discuss a potential return.

Schwarzenneger turned it down and the script has since been revamped, but rumours persist about a possible cameo…will he be back? We wouldn’t rule it out…

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
The Predators will face the world's deadliest killers

The Predators will face the world's deadliest killers

The film will follow a motley crew of criminal-types, who have been abducted from earth and dumped on the Predator home-world to provide the locals with a bit of hunting practice.

As Adrien Brody's character says in the trailer, “this planet is a game preserve…we’re the game.”

It might sound like shooting fish in a barrel for the Predators, but these are no ordinary criminals. Rodriguez has assembled a Dusk til Dawn -esque rogues gallery of global hard-cases, including a French sniper, a Yakuza henchman and an uzi-toting Mexican drug dealer.

Should be a fairly good scrap then…

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
It has a brilliant cast

It has a brilliant cast

Happily, the film looks set to devote a fair bit of time to the human side of the story, with Rodriguez keen to create a set of characters we’ll actually care about.

“It was really important for me that each character felt like they could be the star of their own movie” he says, and with that in mind, he’s bagged himself a pretty heavyweight cast.

As mentioned earlier, Adrien Brody is one of the stars on show, and brilliantly, so is Laurence Fishburne.

Playing a grizzled survivor who has been living on the planet for years, he’ll be in full-on badass mode, and with one sci-fi juggernaut under his belt already, could be just the man to bring a touch of gravitas to proceedings.

Topher Grace and Alice Braga flesh out a talented bunch, whilst there’s even a role for Rodriguez regular Danny Trejo, presumably as the uzi-wielding nutjob.

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Rodriguez will act as producer and fanboy-in-chief

Rodriguez will act as producer and fanboy-in-chief

Despite having written the script, and acting as the film’s head cheerleader, Rodriguez will only be acting as producer on Predators .

Directing duties will fall to the bizarrely monikered Nimrod Antal, best known for helming Luke Wilson frightener Vacancy .

That said, Rodriguez has been heavily involved (much of the film was shot at his Troublemaker studios), and realises the responsibility the pair have to look after a much loved franchise.

“People love that series,” he says. “You tell people there’s a new Predator movie and they come running. (But) you can’t compete with Arnold Schwarzennegger, so it’s much better to go in the other direction and do something the audience isn’t expecting.”

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
The Predators have evolved

The Predators have evolved

It’s been over 20 years since the original movie was released, and it looks like the Predators have evolved!

Production art displayed at the South By Southwest film festival showed the luckless humans having to face a Predator dog and even Predator birds, in their attempts to hang on to their innards. As Antal points out, “we went out of our way to stay true to the fact that they are hunters.”

Rodriguez has also referred to a giant, specialised Predator known as “Mister Black”, who will be indicative of the new breed of Predators.

Specifics are still in short supply, but Rodriguez has promised his Predators will represent a general upgrade on the original model, describing them as, “an updated, nastier meaner breed.”

According to Laurence Fishburne, “it’s like the difference between dogs and wolves!” Remember to take a spare set of underwear…

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
It's a sequel, not a remake

It's a sequel, not a remake

The film will represent a direct follow-on from the original, with the script apparently name-checking events the audience will already be familiar with.

The whole story is based around the Predators’ need to sharpen up their hunting skills, which would presumably be a response to the pasting they received at the hands of Arnie and friends.

It has also been confirmed that the original Predator will make an appearance in some capacity, with Rodriguez referring to it as, “our old friend”. Whether it will appear in flashback or alongside the newer breed is unclear, but its’ a nice touch, and one that should convince the doubters that Rodriguez knows his stuff.

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
There will be plenty of splatter

There will be plenty of splatter

Unsurprisingly, given Rodriguez’s previous output, Predators won’t pull any punches when it comes to the inevitable lashings of gore.

The film will almost certainly receive an R rating in the States, with Rodriguez joking about an original idea for the trailer to have the letters of the Predators title fall away, leaving just the R on-screen.

From the looks of the preview material, Predators will adopt the horror-movie tension of the original as opposed to the crash-bang-wallop action of the Alien vs Predator spin-offs.

Fox are apparently fully behind the more adult theme, with Rodriguez revealing the studio have even asked for a blood-spattered “unrated cut” for the DVD release. We're sure he'll be able to sort them out...

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
The Predators will look familiar

The Predators will look familiar

Creature effects will be headed up by Greg Nicotero, part of the team that designed the original Predator.

The emphasis will be on creating a look that reflects the distinct fighting styles of the new of Predators, thus creating a more believable, and therefore more terrifying brood of creatures.

From what we can tell however, a lot of the classic touches have been maintained. Dreadlocks, body-armour and fearsome gnashers are all present and correct, alongside the trademark laser pointers.

Crucially, the new Predators look a lot less cartoonish than recent incarnations, backing up the feeling that this will be a leaner, meaner sequel than its predecessors.

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Rodriguez has gone back to basics

Rodriguez has gone back to basics

Although 3D was apparently discussed in production, Predators will not be taking the Avatar route, and will in fact be quite old-school in the way it’s filmed.

None of the Predators will be CGI, with actors suiting-up as eight-foot aliens for the shoot. Rodriguez, displaying his inner-geek, clearly got a kick out of knocking about with the creatures on-set, gushing that, “I loved seeing Predators in Austin!”

It sounds like CGI will be kept to a minimum throughout the film, which should keep the purists happy.

“There wasn’t a lot of green screen work”, says actor Walter Goggins. “That’s us in the scenes. There’s one shot that happened in real time, of a fall off a cliff down a waterfall, that no one — including me, if I hadn’t been there — will believe is real. It’s the most stunning shot I’ve ever seen.”

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
20th Century Fox want it to be cool...

20th Century Fox want it to be cool...

According to Rodriguez, Fox told him that they wanted him to, "'make it a non-studio studio movie. Do it the way you do. Make it cool.' They just want a bitchin' movie. They really just want a great movie. That's all they want."

From what we've seen so far - Predator dog handlers! Massive chain guns! That bit where all the Predator triangles light up on Adrien Brody! - Robert has more than delivered on his promise.

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
It could be the start of a new franchise...

It could be the start of a new franchise...

Robert is reportedly very keen on the idea of Predators sequels. And, apparently, so are Fox...

Rodriguez says they told him, "they didn't like the direction they went before, but they know it's a great franchise.

It's like Jaws, no matter how many bad Jaws movies there are, you're always going to remember the original Jaws, it still has its power. You still want to recapture that spirit."

With just four months to go until the film’s July release date (it'll hit the UK on August 11), we’ll soon be able to see whether he's managed it. But at the risk of jinxing it, we’ve got a good feeling about this one…

Click here to watch the Predators trailer

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
George Wales
George Wales
Social Links Navigation

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.

See more Movies Features
Read more
Elle Fanning as Thia in Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands release date, cast, trailer, and everything else we know about the sci-fi sequel
Elle Fanning in Predator: Badlands
I'm an Alien superfan, and the new Predator: Badlands trailer just made me lose my mind with an absolutely epic shared universe connection
Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands director explains why the upcoming sci-fi movie is an "inversion" of the franchise: "This time, the Predator is the one being hunted"
Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands is "not just a slasher movie" or "a generic sci-fi", says director Dan Trachtenberg: "It's a hardcore, brutal survival tale… but also crazy fun"
Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands director tried to make sure the movie's Alien references were added "elegantly": "There's a seduction to grab all the action figures and smush them together"
The Yautja in Dan Trachtenberg's animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers
Predator: Killer of Killers clears up jaw-dropping ending and fan theories of an Alien presence
Latest in Action Movies
Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster in Marvel's Thunderbolts*
A new behind-the-scenes Thunderbolts photo is making fans even more disappointed with one character death: "She showed her face for like two seconds for absolutely no reason"
Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania
Avengers: Doomsday directors tease it's even bigger than Endgame as Paul Rudd hints at more practical, "jaw dropping" sets in the MCU crossover
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four_ First Steps
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has finally crossed a major box office milestone over 1 month after release, but only just
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in Black Adam
James Gunn provides update on Amanda Waller series
Thor: Love and Thunder
Chris Hemsworth says Thor 5 happening depends on one important detail
Hawkeye
Marvel fans are shocked that one of the most exciting new MCU characters has only had two appearances
Latest in Features
A mech firing a machine gun in the desert in Menace
Menace is an XCOM-Warhammer hybrid that makes turn-based strategy feel like an immersive sim, and for the first time in my life I'm playing a game that seems made for me
Metal Gear Solid 5 showing Snake and Ocelot looking to the horizon in front of more soldiers
10 years later, Metal Gear Solid 5 remains a masterpiece that was never going to live up to its own hype
Dogtooth
The new Yorgos Lanthimos movie is getting rave first reactions out of Venice Film Festival, but I think it's worth revisiting his breakout feature Dogtooth before Bugonia hits theaters this fall
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Legacy of the Forge DLC showing Henry and two allies standing looking down
I built a home and ran a business in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's next DLC, and the added role-playing guarantees I'll spend another 70 hours in my current game of the year
D&D Player's Handbook laid out on a wooden surface
Will romantasy be the next great crossover for Dungeons & Dragons? Fourth Wing could be the perfect D&D setting, if you ask me
Jurassic Park: Survival
Jurassic Park: Survival has quietly been 35 years in the making, and it's taking us back to where it all began
  1. Kaser clad in black and Victor in white clash swords in Lost Soul Aside
    1
    Lost Soul Aside review: "We (don't) have Final Fantasy Versus 13 at home"
  2. 2
    Hell is Us review: "The lack of waypoints and explicit objectives is a double-edged magical sword that pulls me deep into its harsh world"
  3. 3
    Shuten Order review: "The Danganronpa creator's new multi-genre mystery feels like a forgotten DS cult classic I would have been obsessed with"
  4. 4
    The Rogue Prince of Persia review: "I roguelike but don't roguelove this freerunner – there's just not enough to stand out"
  5. 5
    Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review: "So close to being to a pitch-perfect revival of a classic series, but just can't quite line up the killing blow"
  1. Jacob Elordi as the monster in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein
    1
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  2. 2
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  3. 3
    The Fantastic Four: First Steps review: "An occasionally thrilling heroic adventure that sits safely within a B-tier MCU range"
  4. 4
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  5. 5
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  1. John Cena as Peacemaker holds a gun to the head of a different John Cena as Peacemaker in Peacemaker season 2.
    1
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  2. 2
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  3. 3
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  4. 4
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"
  5. 5
    Eyes of Wakanda review: "A creative premise shortchanged by the runtime and Marvel bloat"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...