How the ‘Predator’ Franchise is Redeeming Itself, One Movie at a Time

As one of the best action movies ever produced, the original ‘Predator’ cemented both Arnold Schwarzenegger's reputation as an action star and John McTiernan's skill as a director. The franchise has survived through sequels, a prequel, and ‘Alien’ crossover movies, despite the fact that neither McTiernan nor Schwarzenegger made a comeback for later instalments. With filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg unveiling both an animated ‘Predator’ movie and a live-action version, ‘Predator: Badlands’, the coming year is sure to excite fans. The first film in the series to present the story from the Predator's perspective is Badlands, which takes place in an alien world.

The ‘Predator’ franchise has prospered from innovation throughout its existence. Schwarzenegger's Dutch was a sharp contrast to Danny Glover's realistic hero in ‘Predator 2’, which moved from the jungle to a gritty urban setting. The story took a new turn when ‘Predator’ later tracked a gang of criminals instead the military. Despite its critical shortcomings, ‘The Predator’ has a unique tone because of Shane Black's humour. The ‘Predator’ was mostly marginalized in favour of the Xenomorph in the worst entries, ‘Alien vs. Predator’ and its sequel.

Image Courtesy: IGN India

But Prey gave the series new life by bringing it back to its survivalist origins and giving it more nuance. The film combined themes of colonialism and cultural resiliency by concentrating on Naru, a Comanche warrior who is against both invaders and a predator. 

‘Predator: Badlands’ might reach such creative heights, as evidenced by Trachtenberg's success with ‘Prey’ and ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’, which show his ability to rethink adversaries.

Image Courtesy: IGN

By examining the Predator's motivations and society, ‘Badlands’ has the ability to completely reimagine the series. It might provide intriguing new information to reveal their homeworld and the beginnings of their hunting customs. The franchise appears to have a bright future ahead of it with two experimental entries in the works. Fans will continue to witness ‘Predator’ develop in exciting and surprising ways thanks to Trachtenberg's desire to experiment and the return to theatrical releases.

–Farheen Ali