Predator is one of the biggest science fiction horror franchises. It has grossed over 750$ million dollars in the worldwide box office since the release of the first film in 1987. The series has fluctuated in tone and genre since its inception. Going from horror to straight action movies. The last movie, Prey, was a horror movie, revolving around a native woman protecting her tribe against a predator who is hunting the tribe for sport. This movie switches the genre, going for an action thriller.
Most predator films revolve around humans interacting and reacting to a predator who is hunting them. This gave these movies a more horrifying tone, because the predators are insanely powerful and excellent hunters. They also have alien powers that enhance their ability to hunt (i.e, active camouflage and heat vision). This film revolves around a young predator who was outcast from the clan, who now has to embark on a journey to regain his honor. This young predator also encounters a robot (who is teased to be produced by the Weyland-Yutani company from the Alien franchise) which takes the appearance of a young woman (played by Elle Fanning).
The film releases this weekend, on November 7th, and is expected to open to a 25$ million dollar opening. The film has anticipation from the larger predator fanbase, who are excited for a new take on the usually horror based franchise. There have been more action-oriented takes of the Predator, but they were only limited to crossover movies, which were both Alien Vs Predator movies. There has never been a Predator-only action film made, so fans are excited to see this fresh, new take on the character.
From the two trailers and snippets released for the movie, many fans have speculated the movie will have connections to the alien franchise. There have been small easter eggs hinting at this theory, such as most of the robot architecture being similar to the robot architecture in the alien franchise. Both franchises are also known to cross over from time to time, and are even owned by the same company. So while the alien herself might not make an appearance, the universe might still tie together, and become something more, once more predator and alien movies are released. Fans of both franchises are very excited over the prospects of a new alien and predator crossover.
The movie will be a major step forward for the franchise, as the critical reception to the movie is positive. It holds a 87 percent on rotten tomatoes, and 7.5 on IMDB. While it is not the highest in the franchise, this is still a great score to have, especially for a new iteration in the franchise. The early screenings held in California got amazing reception. Many fans in the fandom see this movie as a good step forward, and a fresh take on the franchise. Sophomore Jonathan Pegan explains: “the movie looks incredible! The studio hit it out of the park with this entry.” With confidence growing in the fandom, the movie might not open strong, but it could keep strong numbers during its run. Most movies get the most amount of money during the opening weekend. However, many movies that did not do well for the opening weekend were still able to make a profit, because the box office numbers stayed strong and consistent.
Overall, while the Predator franchise has never been a huge franchise, this movie could bring the franchise into the public eye in a big way, and make some new Predator fans.