🎬 Prey (2022)
Part of Predator
Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey takes the Predator franchise back to its roots in the most literal sense, transplanting the hunt to the Northern Great Plains of 1719. The film follows Naru, a young Comanche woman portrayed by Amber Midthunder, who is determined to prove her worth as a hunter to her tribe. Her coming-of-age ritual is violently interrupted by the arrival of a technologically advanced alien trophy hunter, forcing her to use wits, observation, and primitive weaponry against an enemy that has already decimated the apex predators of the region.
The film acts as a direct prequel to the 1987 classic, depicting the creature’s first visit to Earth. By stripping away the modern firepower of previous installments, Prey reinvigorates the series with a visceral, back-to-basics survival thriller tone. The alien’s design was intentionally altered to appear more feral and less armored than its future counterparts, reflecting a species that has not yet adapted its technology to Earth’s specific threats.
A landmark achievement for the film was the creation of a full Comanche language dub, the first time a feature film has ever received such a treatment. The entire cast returned to re-record their dialogue, offering an alternative viewing experience that deepens the cultural authenticity of the story. The production also took care to film certain sequences on location around Calgary, blending English, Comanche, and French dialogue to reflect the historical trading dynamics of the era.
Upon its release as a Hulu original, Prey was met with widespread critical acclaim, with many reviewers calling it the best entry in the franchise since the original. Critics praised Midthunder’s breakout performance, Trachtenberg’s suspenseful direction, and the film’s elegant simplicity. The success of the streaming release sparked significant discussion about the film’s potential box office performance had it received a traditional theatrical run.
The Predator series is a science fiction action-horror collection centered on a species of extraterrestrial trophy hunters who travel the galaxy seeking worthy prey. Created by screenwriters Jim and John Thomas, the series began with the 1987 film *Predator*, which introduced the creature's distinctive blend of advanced technology—including active camouflage and thermal vision—and a ritualistic warrior code that forbids killing unarmed or defenseless opponents. This foundational entry established the core dynamic that defines the entire collection: a lethal game of cat and mouse in which human resilience and ingenuity are pitted against a physically superior and honor-bound adversary. The series has consistently used its central monster to explore primal fears of being hunted, often placing its characters in isolated, hostile environments that strip away their technological advantages and force them to rely on raw survival instincts. Over time, the collection has expanded its narrative scope, moving the action from contemporary jungles and cities to historical settings and even other planets, while gradually revealing more about the Predator species' culture, hierarchies, and internal conflicts. This evolution has allowed the series to blend genres, shifting between straight action, survival horror, and more contemplative examinations of what it means to be both hunter and hunted. The Predator's iconic design—mandibled face, dreadlock-like appendages, and wrist-mounted plasma caster—has made it one of cinema's most enduring monster designs, instantly recognizable across generations of audiences. The collection's cultural footprint extends well beyond film, with a rich expanded universe of comic books, novels, and video games that have deepened the lore surrounding Predator society, their homeworld, and their ancient rivalry with the Xenomorphs of the *Alien* series. This crossover, realized in the *AVP* duology, created a shared universe that pits two of science fiction's deadliest species against each other and against humanity, offering a distinct blend of horror and spectacle. The series has also been notable for its willingness to reinvent itself, most recently with *Prey*, which transported the conflict to the Comanche Nation in 1719, earning critical acclaim for its stripped-back approach and fresh cultural perspective. With upcoming entries like *Predator: Badlands* and an animated anthology, the collection continues to find new ways to explore the eternal struggle between predator and prey, ensuring its relevance as a vital and evolving property in the science fiction landscape.
