Even though we’ve been tracking developments on the next installment in the Predator franchise, very little has actually been confirmed…until now.
In a recent interview with Collider, Jungle Cruise producers John Davis and John Fox – who are also credited as producers on the upcoming Predator film – delivered the most details about it so far.
Firstly, while it’s been previously reported that the working title of the film is Skulls, Davis and Fox finally stated that the film’s official title will be (the singular) Skull. They also said that the film will follow the original Predator’s first journey to Earth.
“It goes back to what made the original Predator movie work. It’s 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,” Davis explained. However, not counting Alien vs. Predator, this entry features the franchise’s first female hero.
In terms of setting, Fox claimed, “[It’s] more akin to The Revenant than it does any film in the Predator canon. You’ll know what I mean once you see it.”
Additionally, they both praised director Dan Trachtenberg’s (10 Cloverfield Lane) vision, calling him “brilliant.”
What’s most interesting is that in the interview both Davis and Fox said Trachtenberg approached them with the idea for Skull while they were in the middle of filming the franchise’s last film The Predator. They also say current Paramount Pictures President Emma Watts was integral to the project’s approval.
“‘She said, ‘you know what, let’s go put this into development now and let’s push on this now. Let’s go for this now.’ [It was not common to] be shooting one movie and prepping another, especially when one was the current-day end of the franchise and the other was the period beginning of the franchise. So it was always done with a lot of secrecy. It just continued to be something that’s going to be out there to surprise you.”
Finally, Davis claimed the film was originally, “conceived as an R-rated movie…[But] it could easily end up PG-13.”
In the interview it was also revealed that filming is (surprisingly) 3/4 of the way done, so a rating is imminent, among other things.
Aside from everything this interview reveals and DiscussingFilm’s scoop about Amber Midthunder‘s involvement in the film, there is still very little known about it.
While no official plot synopsis exists, it’s believed that the film will revolve around a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior when her village becomes threatened by a mysterious and invisible force.
Hopefully, we get more details soon.
Sources: Collider, DiscussingFilm
