Speaking to Thrillest (via Collider), writer-director Shane Black discussed their current approach to the upcoming "The Predator" movie, which is touted to be a sequel to the original "Predator" film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger while also being a soft reboot of the franchise.
According to Black, he was initially reluctant to take on the film given the lackluster work that was done on the two "Alien vs Predator" films and how the "Predator" sequels all seemed to lack some sort of kick.
The director stated that the studios needed to look at the new film the same way they did Ridley Scott's "Alien" prequels. Not only did these go wild with bigger budgets but they also went bigger with their scope and range of their stories. According to Black, all of the "Predator" sequels are more or less just a re-hash of the original concept and that this needs to change.
"They said, basically, if I wanted to make 'Predator' but treat it like it was 'Iron Man 3' instead of just another little movie," the director explained in the initial report. "I said, 'Let's really do it right this time.'"
Fortunately, the report points out that 20th Century Fox appears to be locking down their interest for both the "Alien" and "Predator" franchises now that they have given their full support behind Ridley Scott's "Alien: Covenant" and Shane Black's "The Predator."
Black further explained that while the first movie was special because it was self-contained and a product of its time, a proper sequel needs to expand on what worked before. To do that, the film would need a bigger budget and become an "event" film, something he likened to one of his previous films, and the studios have responded positively.
"Alien: Covenant" will begin this new phase when it launches in theaters in 2017, with Shane Black's "The Predator" following suit in 2018.
