Back in February The Predator underwent some extensive reshoots that reportedly significantly changed a lot of the third act of the film. Alien vs. Predator Galaxy can exclusively confirm that the reports of the major changes to the third act are true. And it sounds like a lot of what fans were criticising have been removed! Beware spoilers!
According to our sources the latest edits of the film following the reshoots have seen the so called “friendly” Predators that we’ve previously seen photos of completely cut from the film, as is the entire APC sequence and the various hybrid creatures. Only the Predator Dog mentioned in the recent set visits remains.
All death sequences involving the more prominent characters have also been completely changed now and the final battle with the Upgrade Predator takes place at night in the woods. After attacking the Project: Stargazer base, Upgrade gives the survivors a chance to escape before he begins to hunt them to find the best fighter amongst them.
The latest cut of the film tested also featured additional scenes that connected The Predator to the previous films, including Alien vs. Predator. Lex’s spear is now displayed alongside City Hunter’s spear from Predator 2. Casey, Olivia Munn’s character, is also shown some grainy pictures of the Predators from the first two films.
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yeah the hype is getting real! it's sooo close, yet feels so far!!
Just for maintaining the heat-hype, you know.
This is what interests me.
not to sound rude but... just 50 more days to worldwide release, surely you can wait? lol
Hicks, isn't this a typo or misinformation?
Spoiler
In the script the Stargazer base (or shall we call it 'Stargazer lab' instead?) was never attacked by...anyone. In addition it was never mentioned after the Fugitive and the main heroes escape from there.
Spoiler
But...if the info is incorrect...then maybe the
Spoiler
Could you ask this from your sources?
It literally does not mean that.
It means there will be a nod to one of the previous Predator films in this film. That's all it means. Especially if it's just an off the shelf prop they happened to have hanging around at ADI. It means nothing for the future of the franchise.
Remember, it took over a decade before the Alien skull in Predator 2 actually meant anything.
It certainly doesn't indicate any plot details on an AVP3 which could just as easily be set on Earth again.
The success of The Predator does not mean anything except that the Predator side of the franchise finally hit a winner and we'll likely see another Predator sequel after that.
The likelihood we will see another AVP film in the foreseeable future is very slim. They didn't even give AVP in 2004 a high budget or faith.
Back then they got it right but these days......... not so much.
Alien and Aliens are still the highlights of the series, with nothing coming remotely close, all these years later. Even Ridley Scott couldn't recapture that original magic and has in fact nearly killed it, with Fox putting it on hold, rather than doing the Covenant sequel. Same with Predator, all the sequels have dipped in quality since the original movie.
They get it wrong way more than they get it right, when it comes to Alien and Predator, unfortunately.
The comic is the best version, but a lot Andersons film is just the comic in a different environment. I don't think the whole Alien planet thing is as hard as people make out. Pitch Black did it and even a high budget movie like interstellar is just Earth with different colour palets.
Predators did it on a fairly tight budget.
Don't get me wrong, both of those films have a few decent moments (mainly a few action sequences) but overall they are very poor movies and don't come close to the great characters or intense action of Aliens, Predator or even the AvP comics. It would be great to see Broken Tusk and Machiko on the big screen one day.
Even though the story isn't identitical, this is kind of in the same spirit as the original AvP comic with Broken Tusk and Machiko Noguchi. The original source material for AvP is gold imo (particular the stories with Noguchi and Delacroix). The first AvP would be perfect to do as a movie - I think very little would need to be changed honestly. If push came to shove, it could probably be adapted to take place in present day Earth on a cattle ranch or something. Not nearly as fun, but doable.
I'm sold.
Weyland-Yutani scientists on a colony get hold of some Alien eggs and start experimenting / breeding them, something goes wrong and the company have to send in the Marines to investigate and hopefully salvage their research. A Predator ship is alerted to the Xeno outbreak and see a great hunting opportunity. Similar plot to Aliens but with 3-4 Predator's hunting Aliens and some wisecracking marines caught in the middle.
If they wanted to do the team up thing, they could do it with a couple of badass marines, teaming with the last 2 Predator, as a last resort to survive. Simple plot no need to make it complicated. Just make the action good, with a bit of gore and some good one liners. There you go, a decent AvP movie.
Though I personally doubt that the inclusion of Alexa's spear really having anything to do with a possible AVP3, I don't find it too far fetched that that door is open.
Since PREDATOR 2, I guess we can say the "ALIEN VS PREDATOR" story arc is a PREDATOR movie trope as it confirms the existence of Xenomorphs within the cinematic canon universe of PREDATOR (hold your horses ALIEN purists).
Now I know that AVP is a contentious issue cause it does more than step on the toes of the "ALIEN-SAGA" continuity. It is also production design, tonality, science and mature sci-fi themes.
Well for me personally since ALIEN -COVENANT I accept the Prometheus and Covenant David story arc as an acceptable, prequel to the ALIEN-SAGA. But throw in a PREDATOR there? Nah doesn't work for me.
But in PREDATOR 2 and a possible "alternate" or (literal) "different part of Universe" in an ALIENS VS PREDATOR movie. Yes that could work.
But given studios are obsessed with "Universe" and what is an official "Canon" this subject could get messier.
Alternate PREDATOR 2 universe the PREDATORS have encountered Xenomorphs, lets make an AVP3 movie.
But when Paul W S Anderson included PREDATOR as part of the Weyland Yutani timeline people wanted an AVP divorce stating that set-up belongs in comics, novels and videogames only.
I think AVP might have been better received not only having been set in the future (of course). But maybe using a different space corporation so people could give or take AVP happening in a possible Weyland universe.
Agree?
Thanks for the answer.
I think, too many scenes that we have seen in the trailers will not be in the final version.
Need to watch the final version of the film!
Yeah...Traeger, Casey, Rory, Quinn and the Loonies wondering in the forest and escaping from the Upgrade during approximately 50-60 minutes long would be boring and would be the same script as P1.
I would love to believe that there is an other Predator they (also Hicks and those who saw the screenings) keep in secret. Could be one of the Defectors in a brand new role...
Yeah...I would love to believe but I think that's NOT gonna happen.
Then I wonder how the story will unfold after
Spoiler
Is there any point in leaving the Ark in the film if the hybrids and the Military were totally cut out?
No hybrids, no Military, no need for Traeger to find the Ark...etc.
I have a bad feeling that after the latest edit the film got worse and less interesting...
Same goes for the entire Area 52 scenes with the Military, right?
I'm happy to give some over-view information like this article but I'm not spoiling every specific thing. As far as I'm aware the entire APC sequence is done. Whatever looks like is from that sequence that we've already seen, we might not be seeing in the final film.
I hope we'll see something like that in the blu-ray too! Be really interesting to see the actual differences.
If this is a success I don't see why they wouldn't go right back to Black. Still I hope this isn't a twist heavy movie. Also funnily enough they seem to have cut the kid out of the trailers. So I'm hoping for more of a macho man movie. Straight up people are just in the way until the script calls for one to save the day.
Second, I'm also on board with those ideas, OpenMaw. This is all stuff that if handled correctly, it could take this franchise a big step further.
Now assuming The Predator is a success, would Shane return to helm the next one? Or maybe just write it? Who could take his place as director? One thing I've always dreamed was a Predator movie directed by James Cameron, but we all know that's never happening now...
Well in the broad strokes, what we saw with OWLF was the precursor to that idea of humanity seeking to capture Predators and their technology to reverse engineer it. Stargazer seems to be playing with that notion further, which is a good thing.
My idea is basically just like in X-Com you'd have a group formulating strategies to counter Predator incursions to Earth. You could take it in a number of directions. Something like what Stargate did with the SG-1 team eventually becoming capable of standing toe-to-toe with the badguys, or you could have the Predators start hunting specifically for the OWLF guys and their hidden base.
You could have it take place across several movies. Have Dutch in an almost Ahab-meets-Obi-Wan like role to kick things off and show this anti-predator group coming to be, then have Predators learning about this new group, have some kind of a retaliation take place. It could go places. Not to mention, we know in the Predator universe there are other creatures like The River Ghost and "Shit you wouldn't believe." It could be open for a bigger mythos.
There's not wrong with Shane Black. Remember, this wasn't his script, so I can only imagine he's at least partially responsible for getting the changes done that needed to happen. One of the actors said that Shane basically filmed a dozen different versions of the movie and the idea is to make the best movie out of pieces of all of them. In other words, he basically shot many takes of scenes to get different tones so he can balance everything later. That's great.
On the subject of new things. There's lot's of ways to have new things in these movies. I don't think having Predators wielding M60s and wearing glorified paintball gear, and getting trounced on, is a good idea. I don't think Predator spiders and Predator half breeds that look like tentacular nightmares are a good way to go.
There's plenty of very interesting things to do on the narrative side with the people involved in these situations that you could continue a story, expand a narrative, and not succumb to the endless tired traps that a lot of these franchises fall into.
I truly believe the most logical, organic way forward is something akin to X-Com. These movies keep alluding to this idea, but they never explore it, and it would be the better way to go than to try and make more and more sub species and mutations of the Predator creature. They're already individuals in terms of their designs.
Hell, if you want to do a big Predator-filled feature. How about a Predator "gang war" on Earth? Two tribes slaughtering each other during a huge heat wave?
I had no special close relationship with the comic book Mandarin. So it didnt bother me that he was reimagined for IM3, it was actually a clever twist. I also quite enjoyed Tony's battle with PTSD and his realization that he, not some metal suit, is Iron Man.
In anycase, Shane Black is a good writer/Director with a strong track record.
There was nothing to ruin with the racist comic book character of the Mandarin and Iron Man 3 has very inventive action sequences.
Shane Black's other work has also been exceptional in many cases, more often than not.
Esteemed filmmakers trying new things I'd always rather see than an obsessively monitored canon that allows for nothing interesting. See modern Star Wars.
Im happy they put out that predator in pants no sense, hope they remove all the conquer dna splice mess as well.
I keep reading people disliking they remove the '' new'' stuf, but new doesnt mean good, is like if you go to the mechanic to change yout wheels and he decided to put square wheels instead, it doesnt work, its dumb, but ey, its new, never seen, unexpected, thats shanes black new' takes'' on things..
I would even remove the upgrade, in the trailer it even look dumber that I was tought when I readed it.
Please make a decent movie, dont ruin years of amazing canon...
Even the newest trailer has bits of it. They better start cutting that out before everyone realizes several bits of action are just suddenly not there.
Kinda like the whole Hulk being at the final battle of Wakanda in Infinity War.
I've only seen Olivia in a couple of films, but what I saw, I liked, so I'm excited to see her in this.
Oh... well at least one of us did our research!
She's part Chinese actually, but yeah.
I mean... there is Casey...
I've honestly never seen Olivia Munn act but she at least has the looks, being part Japanese and all. Of course using her character wouldn't fit into any proper timeline if they really try to make any future AVP installments more consistent with the Alien series. Unless they did a whole Predators route where humans are abducted and aliens are also on a hunting planet. Though that doesn't sound nearly as good as other concepts floating around out there, I'd prefer something to take place amongst a colony in space.
When Broken Tusk and Machiko do battle with the alien hive, come out the other side, and Tusk's last act is to mark her, it felt far more earned than with Alexa and Scar. Scar just isn't Broken Tusk, and Alex just isn't Machiko. (Lathan's wooden and campy performance doesn't help.)
For example. The queen being tied down. Yeah, the whole mechanism is almost wholesale from the comic. Great. Well done. Problem.
The Predators kept the queen on lock down in an isolated environment (their ship) to ensure that what happens in the movie doesn't happen. The queen had to find a craftier way to sneak one of her royal brethen past the Predators to screw up their hunt. The Predator's didn't want a queen to spring up on their hunts. They wanted it to be equal numbers aliens to predators, because aliens are hearty adversaries and tend to kill Predators dead as dillinger.
In the movie the queen's escape just makes the Predator's look stupid, and has me asking why the Aliens hadn't managed to break her out before this? Nothing changed from previous hunts as far as I can tell. The queen just finally decides "I've had enough of this shit."
The original AVP comic is practically a pre-packed screenplay in storyboard format. There was no need to cherry pick a couple of vague nods as a connection and then jettison all the good stuff. Like actual characters with motivations that span the entire arc of the story, Predators and Aliens that make sense and proper pacing of rising suspense/action to a satisfying climax.
It's more about what happens when you let a hack take the reigns of a franchise like this.
I weep for what David Twohy might have given us.
But that's the risk when you delve deep into comic book influences.
When is the screening, do you know?