Prey director says they hired the movie's composer after playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Prey director Dan Trachtenberg says he hired video game composer Sarah Schachner after playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Trachtenberg quote-retweeted Schachner, explaining that he was playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla while prepping the movie in Calgary. The director thought the game's music was "insanely beautiful" and immediately wondered who composed it. "You will be listening to her lots in the future," he added.

Schachner, a composer and string musician, co-composed the music for Assassin's Creed: Unity, and provided additional cello, violin, guitar arrangements for Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 3, Need for Speed: The Run, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag before returning to co-compose Valhalla. She has also worked on the scores for several films including The Lazarus Effect, The Expendables 2, Iron Man 3, and Now You See Me.

Prey is the fifth installment in the Predator franchise and serves as a prequel to the first four movies, providing an origin story for the titular extraterrestrial trophy-hunting species. The film is a departure from its predecessors, as the previously male-dominated franchise features an indigenous female protagonist (played by Amber Midthunder) going up against the alien hunters. 

Trachtenberg explained the decision, saying that his ultimate goal was to return the franchise to its roots: "The ingenuity of a human being who won't give up, who's able to observe and interpret, basically being able to beat a stronger, more powerful, well-armed force."

Prey first premiered at San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2022, and will be released as a Hulu Original film on August 5. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond.