With Shane Black's return to the Predator franchise, a lot of folks have been wondering just how The Predator would fit into the lineup of sci-fi action adventures. But now, we know exactly where next year's sequel will fit into the pecking order, and it's right between Predator 2 and Predators. You can thank cast member Jake Busey for filling in that information gap, as well as for the following details he also provided:
This one definitely falls in line with the original franchise in that it does focus on the technology that the Predators have. It focuses on what the goal of the Predators is, and what their modus operandi, and why they come to the planet, and that type of thing. It's definitely in line with the original franchise.
Three films already exist in the Predator canon, but there's plenty of room for The Predator's suburban romp to make its own way in the series that has seen the titular character tearing things up in the jungle, in the city and even on its home planet. Busey also reminded us that his character in Shane Black's new entry into the canon is the son of a character originated in Predator 2: Gary Busey's Peter Keyes. So not only are we going to see how the world of the Predators has grown in the period between the later two films in the series, we'll also see how the human side of the equation has changed as well.
Rather than run counter to the pieces of canon that he wasn't involved with, Shane Black's work on The Predator has been all about uniting the franchise, fitting everything together into one cohesive package. In a market that tends to loosely reboot, or sometimes disregard the original source wholesale, seeing Black trying to keep the series intact is something spectacular. Not to mention that should the inspiration hit the folks behind The Predator, this preserved continuity could mean that there's a chance Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch could possibly return after all.
But at the moment, Jake Busey's remarks to Pop Culture indicate that his character will be the big link between franchise past, present and future; and for those who are fans of the underrated Predator 2, this is probably the best news to come out of The Predator since Shane Black's return. While the series has never truly had a horrific low point like other series of its stature, save for the Alien vs. Predator duology, the entire Predator series has always felt like it never really had its due in pop culture. Through the younger Busey's character, and Black's doubling down on continuity, that day may finally come with the arrival of this new and exciting entry in the franchise.
The Predator hits theaters on August 3, 2018, but if you're looking for what's hunting audiences throughout the rest of the year, check out our 2018 release schedule.
