Prey Director Shares How Original Predator Character Inspired New Prequel

Most entries in the Predator franchise have embraced sci-fi themes and situations, but with the upcoming Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg aims to take the concept years into the past, an idea that he's been contemplating for decades. In fact, the idea of the movie doesn't even necessarily come from the events of the original 1987 Predator, but was instead inspired by a secondhand description of the plot being relayed to him, mainly the character of Billy (Sonny Landham). More specifically, it was the image of a Native American scout battling the Predator that stuck with him and helped motivate his approach to the new film. Prey lands on Hulu on August 5th.

"I was dying to see it, but I was not allowed," Trachtenberg detailed to Empire, per AvPGalaxy. "In third grade, I was on the way to a karate tournament with these [older kids] who had seen [Predator], and over the entire trip they described the whole movie. I vividly remember them saying there was this character, Billy [Sonny Landham], a Native American scout who fights the Predator on the bridge over a waterfall."

Funnily enough, that scene wasn't actually in the movie, but it was a concept that resonated with him.

With the original film featuring an ensemble of colorful characters, Billy had to compete on-screen with characters played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura. As if the initial imagery of such a character battling the Predator wasn't compelling enough, Trachtenberg also wanted to put a character that might normally be a supporting figure at the center of the film's storyline.

"I wanted to shift the focus to someone who would normally be a sidekick," the filmmaker shared. "In Predator, Billy was just one of the men on the team. In Prey, we're watching someone lead this movie that has never led this type of movie before."

Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, Prey is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.

Prey lands in theaters on August 5th.  

Are you looking forward to the new movie? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!