I do not envy anyone writing a horror franchise, much less those writing on one that only has one good installment like “Predator.” John McTiernan‘s 1987 film with Arnold Schwarzenegger is god-tier classic. Still, unlike James Cameron’s “Aliens,” this franchise was never able to find a second installment that breathed new life into it. Each of the four iterations that have followed, “Predator 2,” “Predators” and most recently Shane Black’s “The Predator” in 2018, have all been largely uninspired riffs on a ragtag motley crew of disparate people that get picked off by the alien in question with little in the way of thrills or surprises. But I.P. is I.P., and 20th Century Studios isn’t about to let them one sit. Deadline reports that the studio has tasked Dan Trachtenberg to come up to direct a new installment in the long-running and popular, but not-all-that-successful franchise (the less said about “Aliens Vs. Predator” sub-franchise, the better).
Known for directing “10 Cloverfield Lane,” Trachtenberg is a good choice because he knows what to do with a good monster movie—suspense, tension, focus on the human character, and the element of surprise. Of course, with horror franchises, the element of surprise is gone once the creature has been fully revealed, and that’s always been part of the problem with these movies.
Regardless, 20th Century Studios will try and try again, no matter what. This new “Predator” script, which would be the fifth installment of the series, is being written by Patrick Aison, whose producer-writer credits include the series “Kingdom,” “Jack Ryan” and “Treadstone.”
How to make the “Predator” feel fresh? Apparently, the plotline and all details are being kept under wraps; however, the film will likely ignore the events of 2018’s “The Predator.” Trachtenberg hasn’t directed a feature-length film since “10 Cloverfield Lane,” but the film was a box-office hit beloved by audiences and critics, and several projects of his went into development afterward, including the “The Secret Life Of Houdini.” Trachtenberg also directed the series premiere episode of Amazon Studio’s critically acclaimed series “The Boys.” We named him one of the Best Breakthrough Directors of 2016. Let’s hope he can brief new life into the “Predator” franchise. [Deadline]