Thanks to the Fox acquisition from Disney, they now own the rights to the Predator franchise and after a few years of irrelevance, it seems the Mouse is keen to bring the franchise back into the spotlight.

The upcoming film is seeking to move away from the series current trajectory by being billed as a prequel. Prey is set way, way before the events of the first film as it will tell the story of the first Predator ever to use Earth as a hunting ground.

Details on the project are scant thanks to director Dan Trachtenberg’s (10 Cloverfield Lane, Black Mirror, The Boys) wishes, but there are a few things we can glean. One is that the film will take place in pre-colonial North America with the Comanche people being the primary protagonists, rather than the typical hardcore buff army guys often pit against the Predator. The Predator is endangering the local Comanche people and it’s up to a young hunter, Naru (Amber Midthunder), to help her people survive the extra-terrestrial assault. Other than that, though, we’ve got nothing.

We do know that it will be released on August 5, 2022, exclusively on streaming. In Australia, Disney+ will host the film, while in the U.S. you will be able to find it on Hulu. There are no plans to release the film in cinemas.

The cast is made up entirely of Native and First Nations people. The filmmakers were “committed to creating a film that provides and accurate portrayal of the Comanche and brings a level of authenticity that rings true to its Indigenous peoples.” Alongside star, Amber Midthunder, is Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and Julian Black Antelope.  

The last Predator film was 2018’s The Predator that didn’t meet either fan or commercial expectations. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film only received a 33% approval rating based on 294 reviews with audiences feeling the same handing out another 33% rating. The consensus read that the film has “violence and quips to spare, but its chaotically hollow action adds up to another missed opportunity for a franchise increasingly defined by disappointment.” At the box office, the film grossed $160.5 million USD against a budget of $88 million. Debuting strong on the first weekend, ticket sales dropped 65% in its second, and that trend continued for the rest of the film’s theatrical release.

Hopefully this new film can buck the trends plaguing the Predator franchise. What do you think?