Summary
-
Prey
It was a refreshing change for the
Predator
series and created a new one. -
Prey 2
It is in development and is progressing slowly. - Disney is further focusing on both
Alien
AND
Predator
franchise, sparking a renaissance in sci-fi horror.
When Disney initially acquired 20th Century Fox, there were several properties that fans were concerned about. A sci-fi horror like Predator didn't necessarily work within Disney's family-friendly branding strategy, and while Hulu was a viable platform, it didn't seem like these big, adult-oriented names would have an impact on Disney+. However, with the rules changing internationally, audiences were quickly shocked to see the likes of Alien, Predator, AND Alien vs. Predator available together with those like Tangled up AND Avengers: Endgame. Hulu and Disney+ have become great platforms in international markets to showcase these past franchises, and it seemed that, while it was against the company’s overall direction, Disney had a strong interest in revisiting these genre works with a fresh perspective in mind.
With the name change of 20th Century Studios, new plans were put in place to focus on franchises that fans thought would be sold or shelved. Prey was among those early ideas, a concept that no one could have predicted. Since its release, there has been more movement in general, with Marvel getting in on the action with Predator AND Alien comics, a new video game in development in the form of Alien: Rogue Incursion, and potential sequel plans in development. It's this last idea that gets the most attention here, as the initial popularity of Prey was so unpredictable that it seemed like 20th Century Studios had been caught a bit off guard with no clear strategy for what would happen next. However, a couple of years after the release of Prey, Now is a great time to find out what’s new with regards to the sequel, where the franchise is in its lifecycle, and how Disney thinks it can best leverage these sci-fi horror franchises in the future.
Prey revitalized the Predator franchise
The series needed a radical new direction after The Predator
- THE Predator The franchise was created by Jim Thomas and John Thomas.
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In 2018, 20th Century Fox released The Predator. It wasn't well received critically and didn't capture the attention of audiences commercially either. It was a fun action film and paid homage to those original outings in the franchise, but it certainly didn't reinvigorate the series like many would have hoped. In a way, it was just playing around with old beats without bringing anything entirely new to the table. Maybe Predator was no longer as widely known, due to a gap in releases and a new generation of viewers who had not grown up with the series. Alien had gone through similar difficulties with the prequel series, dividing viewers with Prometheus AND Alien: Pact. When Prey was put into development, with director Dan Trachtenberg at the helm, many weren't sure what to do with it. To set up a Predator films so far in the past and casting a talented Comanche warrior as the female lead had never been done before in the series. It was a refreshing concept with potential, but no one would have thought that it would reinvigorate the franchise as executives had hoped The Predator. Indeed, despite its limited release on Disney+, that didn’t stop it from gaining positive word of mouth and ultimately creating a cult following due to its commitment to its horror and sci-fi roots.
Prey It broke all the rules and was even better. It looked gritty and real, with practical effects and less reliance on CGI. It was low budget and put the performances on a pedestal, ensuring that the character work was the most important aspect of the title. The action sequences themselves were incredibly choreographed, violent and brutal, and there were strong thematic explorations throughout the narrative. It was a real shame that it didn't get a proper theatrical run because audiences would have been so happy to see this spectacle on a big screen, with a crowd around. The response was so positive that viewers began clamoring for a sequel, but news was scarce after the initial release. Clearly, Disney and 20th Century Studios had to let the dust settle and see what the long-term reactions would be, but Prey It proved to be a memorable installment and left fans wondering why other franchises didn't learn from this unexpected shift in style.
Prey 2 has been widely discussed
The sequel was teased in the finale of the first
- Prey initially launched on July 21, 2022 on Hulu.
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It took a while to get going, but confirmation has arrived that Disney has given the green light to a sequel to Prey. Very rarely is there a film in the Predator the series got a direct sequel with the same characters and settings, but what is reported is that Prey 2 will directly follow the events of the first film, with the hope that star Amber Midthunder will return as the unstoppable Naru. Midthunder's star has steadily risen since its release, appearing in Reserve Dogs AND Avatar: The Last Airbender After Legion had already given its experience in the context of a larger franchise. Midthunder itself has already expressed its interest in returning, and it seems that director Dan Trachtenberg is heavily involved in the future of the saga. This is certainly good news for those who enjoyed Prey, and there's even a tease at the end of the film as to where a sequel might go. The film ends with the Predators taking an interest in the Northern Great Plains of 1719, suggesting that they may return in large numbers, forcing Naru to team up with allies and enemies to repel their sudden invasion.
Oddly enough, though, Prey 2 could be overshadowed by another Predator standalone film, which is also in development by Dan Trachtenberg. With Disney and 20th Century Studios placing great faith in the creative, Elle Fanning is said to be taking on the lead role and the working title is currently Wastelands. How does it connect to Prey, in addition to being in the same universe, it is currently unknown, but there will certainly be some sort of lore that will unite the two projects to allow Disney to create a more consolidated franchise in the future. The development of Wastelands It certainly doesn't mean that Prey 2 will fall into oblivion, and it seems that this dual approach by the studios was designed to create a more widespread awareness of the franchise's return to prominence. Small-scale, quality storytelling seems to be the primary focus here, and that's a tactical choice that can't be faulted. So, both Prey 2 AND Wastelands are in development, but there's still a lot to know about Disney and 20th Century Studios' future with these franchises.
Disney dives further into its slate of sci-fi horror films
Alien: Romulus indicates that there are ambitions for more
- Alien: Romulus will be launched on August 16, 2024.
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As mentioned above, Disney and 20th Century Studios have had a sense of renewal when it comes to their approach to Predator AND Alien. Both united by their shared universe and the fact that they are horror and sci-fi hits, Alien AND Predator is getting more attention across all Disney platforms. From a proper showcase on streaming services to those Marvel comics that tell new narratives, Disney is determined to revive these characters, especially in the wake of The prey success. Prey has proven that audiences are interested when the story is right; thus, Disney is taking the slower road to prosperity. Part of that journey is the release of Alien: Romulus, which hopes to trigger the same reaction for the Alien franchising as Prey made for Predator. It remains to be seen whether it will prove to be a breakthrough outing for the series that also elicits the same sense of rejuvenation, but the performance of Alien: Romulus will certainly be used to judge the future of Predator, Prey, AND Wastelands, even if they don't directly belong to the same franchise.
It's hard not to think that all of this seems to be building to a new reunion of both film lines, especially in the age of shared universes. With the release of a new novel, Aliens vs. Predators – Ultimate prey, once again keeping the concept in the public consciousness, it is entirely plausible that certain internet rumors could be true. There is no concrete evidence so far to suggest that Hulu and Disney+ are actually building a new Alien vs. Predator exit, but that would be the logical end goal of the rebirth of both of these intellectual properties. So, Prey relaunched a franchise, pushed Disney to explore the Alien series, has greenlit a new sequel and a standalone film, and potentially put plans in place for an eventual crossover. With plenty of spinoff material also getting the green light, it looks like the House of Mouse has a lot to thank Prey For.
Prey
Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche nation, fights to protect her tribe from one of the first highly evolved Predators to land on Earth.
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Release date
- August 5, 2022
- Launch
- Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope
- Duration
- 100 minutes
- Main genre
- Science fiction