It's hardly controversial to say that 2018's The Predator was disappointing. The promise of a new modern-day Predator movie co-written and directed by Shane Black was stirring, but it just didn't come together in the end. Years later, we may have received the perfect template for a direct follow-up to the first three movies from an unlikely source — the online video game Predator: Hunting Grounds.
Some fans might argue we're past the need for modern-day Predator movies after Prey (2022) wowed everyone with a return to the basics that also felt genuinely different thanks to its 18th-century North American setting.
Now, we're waiting for Predator: Badlands to arrive this year and propel the series into the future, but should we still campaign for the continuation of the plot threads established before this recent refresh?
Honestly, we’re in no rush to revisit zany, out-of-place ideas like that dreadful Iron Man-esque suit of armor or the build-up towards an all-out conflict between mankind and a warmongering Predator subspecies. None of that is why folks were fascinated by the original hunters and the universe surrounding them. Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison seem to understand that and thus have charted a new path for the series... which could lead directly into an Alien vs. Predator reboot now that Alien: Romulus is also a confirmed hit with a sequel on the way.
IllFonic's Predator: Hunting Grounds stuck closely to the established canon, reusing what worked and tossing away the elements that didn't stick (aka almost everything from The Predator). It does so elegantly though: The whole multiplayer-only experience is anchored around the shutdown of Project Stargazer – the top-secret CIA program from the 2018 movie that was charged with monitoring and responding to Yautja presence on Earth. In its place, the older, Predator 2-era OWLF program is reinstated and takes over such tasks with the help of a returned Alan "Dutch" Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
This ongoing narrative also brought back Sean Keyes (Jake Busey), son of Predator 2's Peter Keyes (Gary Busey), and even Predators' Isabelle Nissenbaum (Alice Braga) in an attempt to tie every movie released up to that point together. While the overall Predator continuity has always been a bit loose (even if we don't include the AvP flicks), each new installment has referenced the previous ones. It all adds up to create a compelling sequel that pushes the universe forward in meaningful ways while smartly evading The Predator's biggest mistakes.
None of this is to say that Predator: Hunting Grounds is a 'story first' game. Quite the opposite. All this lore and overarching story is the 'excuse' that justifies the new content packs based on characters (and Predator hunters) from the movies. But it's a compelling evolution of what's come before nonetheless. It honors every bit of narrative worth saving and isn't afraid of binning the dumb stuff,. Moreover, it sets the stage for a possible larger conflict on the horizon, as incursions on Earth have increased in frequency during the (in-universe) early 2020s — apparently Global warming is to blame for that in universe, which is kinda wild.
Having Dutch 'back in action' and the OWLF pushing back against the complacent alien hunters is an excellent setup for a new Predator sequel that looks forwards while treating the established canon with respect. Trachtenberg and Aison's anthology-like approach to the series is a sensible move after a handful of middling installments – and everything we're hearing about Predator Badlands sounds extremely cool – but there's still time and room for a 'true' Predator 5 that keeps the 'original storyline' going. In fact, this is the sort of pitch that Schwarzenegger would happily sign up for.
Of course, the 'curse' of movie tie-in games is that – unless otherwise stated or they're part of set-in-stone plans like modern Star Wars games – they're seldom considered to be canon entries once the stories move forward on the big or small screen. After the latest Alien entry loosely referenced Alien: Isolation, is there a tiny bit of hope for Predator: Hunting Grounds to leave a mark on its franchise's official timeline? Who knows for sure, but it's not the first time a 'mindless' video game based on a famous IP has had better sequel ideas than a bunch of mishandled movies.
You can play Predator: Hunting Grounds now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game is only available as a physical copy on PS5 and PS4.
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