While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in celebration of his 20th anniversary at the company, 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell talked briefly about Dan Trachtenberg’s upcoming Predator film, Prey. Asbell was asked about the kind of remakes or original content that the studio was producing, when the studio president used Prey as an example and elaborated on the new film’s time setting.
We’ve known for a while that the newest Predator film would be a period piece, taking place in the past, focusing on a Native American tribe. However, the exact time period has been unknown until now.
“You can take big creative swings — which you’ll see with Prey, which we’ll launch this summer. A Predator movie set in the Great Plains in 1719 by Dan Trachtenberg. “
We now know that Prey will be taking place in 1719, 4 years after Predator 2’s flintlock pistol was first engraved. The Comanche and the Spanish were in contact and conflict throughout the 1700 and 1800s. It seems there may now be more to the speculation that Raphael Adolini’s pistol may be featured in the film!
The backstory behind Adolini’s pistol has previously been explored by Dark Horse in their own short comic called Predator: 1718. If you haven’t read that comic, you should check out our article on this piece of Predator lore. It may be possible we’ll be seeing another interpretation of the story behind how Greyback came into possession of that pistol. Thanks to Whos_Nick for the news!
Be sure to keep your targets set on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for all the latest Prey news! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. Be sure to join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums as well!
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Even if Grey's just better lolAnd if I try searching it on Google it autocorrects to Greyback
Still love the Xenopedia guys though.
Here we are:
https://media.bizj.us/view/img/1314851/01-elpinto-600*1200xx600-338-0-31.jpg
https://avp.fandom.com/wiki/Jim_Thomas
https://avp.fandom.com/wiki/John_Thomas
I don't see why you have to pick one. They wrote Gray because they're American, but it's plenty common to adapt spelling even for proper names (grey/gray whale, fox, etc)
Nah, I say if you gotta pick one, the Thomas Brothers knows best!
Grayback. The Thomas Brothers referred to it as Grayback.
https://i.ibb.co/7VgvTWq/Screenshot-20220311-193923-Adobe-Acrobat.jpg
I used to correct people on it, but at some point, I decided it was not a hill worthy to die on.
May 22, 2022, 09:28:49 AM
It's those darn Brits causing all the trouble! I think they're still jealous we won the Revolutionary War!
Now that's not to say I even remotely think that anyone involved in the production has been thinking "we have to be very, very careful not to contradict this one comic from however many years ago!" Hell I'd be surprised if they even know it exists. But if they just don't show him actually taking it in the movie then even if that's the case it'll still end up not being contradicted by default.
Now here is the thing, they said that his pistol will take part of the film but is this really going to retcon the 1718 comic? I mean I never really took the idea that the film will remove the comic from canon, since this takes place a year later, and the pistol itself is engrained with the year it was made for Adolini. Maybe Greyback got it later on, like maybe 2 years later or something. It feels like it can go either way and not really step on the toes of the comic, but people will say that movies never follow the source material or override it which is fair to say but also doesn't mean its not possible that the comic can also be what it is just as well?
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Would love if Grayback came and did this to a bunch of European poachers, ones that don't respect their prey nor the hunt!
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Ha. That's fair. Shame we've seen no set reports, or in-production promotion.
But on the flipside of that, I'd completely love it if he just showed up and absolutely destroyed. We're too used to the Predators not making it through their films.
There's so many ways that the flintlock can be incorporated into the movie with/without Grayback or his fellow tribe. I'd think it'd be either an easter egg or something thrown in at the end of the movie to potentially set up another future movie (similar to what Voodoo mentioned). I know they've said it would be some Predator's first hunt, but would rather it not be Grayback in this film. I wouldn't mind seeing a member of his tribe go up against Naru, but for someone as memorable as Grayback to be defeated the first time we see him would be kind of a letdown.
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Was thinking we also can have the flintlock without the Grayback.
Post Credit Scene
Naru sits on a serene pad near the stream meditating. Eyes closed, calm, at peace, she breathes in the gentle breeze until - that smell! Eyes open! She spins around to see a hungry wolf about to pounce, then BLAM! A gun shot rings, sending the wolf backwards into its death throes. Naru searches for the weapon holder and finds a European man stepping out from behind the trees.
Naru: Who are you?
Man: Adolini. Raphael Adolini.
[ cut to black ]
Yeah, this one is doing rather well at keeping things close to the old chest.
I'm actually finding it quite refreshing.
Ah I miss the days of script leaks
I was thinking about this the other day too - but the simple answers are - bodies change or artistic licensing on the image. We still haven't actually seen an unobscured image of him.
I wasn't so convinced at the early speculation as we didn't really have any solid timeframes, but I'm now at the point where I'd be super surprised if it wasn't intended to be Greyback. But I also don't think Prey will be trying to telegraph that in any obnoxious, obvious way and it'll just be there.
I'll try to find out.
It's not too solid as this is all 2nd hand info, and it was when they was told about it, but it was apparently November time. So if that's all correct, it's possible it was purchased for reshoots.
And if so, the Flintlock being tacked on would seem oddly coincidental in regards to the time period of "Prey,"... not to mention the guy who took the on-set pics during filming said the crew told him Prey was a prequel and involved the flintlock.
I like new Preds myself, and if it is Greyback as the main but he's missing one quill it won't live up to fan expectations.
The date certainly raises suspicions, but I have to wonder if the flintlock inclusion was planned from the start, or was something tacked on.
If that replica was purchased after filming began, I'd expect the latter.
Perhaps this could just be another member of the Lost Tribe and we'll have another ending where they all show up.
The prop department for Predator 2 used a replica too, the very same Denix flintlock. So Prey's prop department was essentially tracking down the same consumer item Predator 2 acquired, used and changed 1614 to 1715 to accommodate its period.
Wouldn't be the first time they got a replica. ADI got a replica of the Jungle Hunter plasmacaster to use as the basis for Fugitive's I think. So in all likelihood they probably did get a pistol.
https://i.ibb.co/F0CnTtG/Screenshot-20220309-081734-Gallery.jpg
While 1718 remains one of my favorite Predator comics of all time (along with Predator #1 and Predator: Hunters I & II) I really believe 'Prey" will overwrite that event.
May 22, 2022, 09:29:20 AM
To me, the blast is overkill for a f*ck you. I see it more as a method of destroying all tech (and their ship seemingly nearby) so it doesn't get into the prey's hands and impact their evolution. The f*ck you is just a bonus.
May 22, 2022, 09:29:10 AM
Awesome!
Yeah, those guns are really hard to find. I've been looking for years. One finally appeared on Ebay during the holiday, but I was so focused on the closing of my house purchase I totally missed it until the auction was over.
ADI didn't design Fugitive's Predator so I wouldn't expect to see that being reused unless Studios still has the props on hand somewhere which isn't too unrealistic.
I just don't see it happening. As fans, I'm sure we'd all like to see him looking like the Golden Angel, but I just don't see that comic factoring into Prey at all. The live action has never done that.
And just to add to this - Jann Elderpredator sent me this from the Aliens/Predator Universe group on Facebook. If this is legit, sounds like they purchased a replica off a collector.
Its always have been for respect of an worthy opponent. Even the comic solidifies he gave that same respect to the original owner of the pistol, even burying the guy which is a huge act of kindness that I've seen a Predator ever done in media before, besides that one Predator who freed a kid from Nazi captors.
Earlier in the film it's suggested that other incursions happen, and they happen often. The sort of bombs they casually carry on their person are devastating and for that matter don't normally go off but when they do it's a near un survivable f**k you. A Predator dying is all things considered rare. Basically suggesting why we don't normally see random nukes going off. Predators very rarely die on the hunt meaning anyone who can take one down is impressive and Harrigan is just a cop. Cops are tough, but these are things that can manhandle special forces the size of 1980's Arnold. They're tough is what I'm getting at and not even Arnold took Jungle Hunter in a straight fight even if Harrigan did have to fight dirty to get the final blow.
Point is, that after all of that Harrigan has won. Later media (and BTS info) also suggests that City Hunter was young and out to prove himself. He failed and the rest of the group was simply here to keep an eye on him. He's City Hunter's trophy so killing him is a waste since none of them had been hunting Harrigan to begin with. It's sloppy seconds. Greyback however is not about to give him City Hunter's head so he tosses him the pistol. Essentially a sign of respect and also a trophy given he isn't about to hand him City Hunter's skull be it for cultural reasons or that he wants to save face.
The other thing to keep in mind, Greyback is willing to respect Harrigan winning, but he doesn't give him much time to leave either. City Hunter may have been the one who died but Predators are sore losers and intolerable of weaknesses. The ring leader is certainly going to reflect on one of his guys not being up to par and wants out of there now. It's also somewhat debated what he says to him as he leaves (I'm sure someone has the script) but I like the idea he called him a heathen as he left implying he's gonna be respectful and a bit of an ass.
My thing is that I just don't want a Jungle Hunter rip off design. Greyback got away with it due to the sheer fact of his unique status and creative license that made it distinct from the JH armor design. Every single Predator soon after were mostly their own character, and their design would reflect such individuality. Captured/Crucified from Predators was the only one to truly break from this, and this is due to partly show his status of being a member of JH Clan and to reference the mainstream Predators to Mr.Black's Super Predator conflict.
I mean there is a possibility of ADI retooling Fugitive's armor but that design is very advanced looking compared to Elder's design later on in P2. But also, Hicks, I do have a remark for your point. If the comic 1718, remains canon, and Prey takes place a year later, then Greyback's design wouldn't change that much to his comic book appearance? I guess he can comeback with new shoulder guards, new mask, new alien bone trophy, or something but the overall template would be similar to his appearance in 1718, no? I mean how much action can he see within a year compared to hundreds of years later, seeing him decked out in tribal prestige?
Because you often do that yourself, regardless how interesting is the discussion. People here already made those remarks to you. And your reputation, identified by more than me here, precedes you now.
Sometimes people will react this way because of your overall work, not because of one particular post or discussion. I guess you reap what you sow as they say.
Now you said "For consistency I think the returning cast of Jurassic Park wearing the same clothes 30 years later in the new Jurassic World is also super shitty fanservice."
Now I don't equate the two, Grayback wearing a similar armor set with wearing the same clothes, so I said "He'll change out his codpiece don't worry" which I thought was pretty funny.
Feels like it could've been an interesting conversation about all the little details that went into his original design rather than just unwarranted snark. Oh well.
But I doubt anyone expects the Grayback to come walking in appearing exactly like he came out of the 1990 film, wearing all the same groovy gear.
Sure, their lifespans are much longer, but I'm talking more in terms of just nature. We can Alien metal/adamantium fansplain it, but we've also seen the Predators hunting various prey (and themselves) that are capable of damaging their armor so it makes perfect sense to me that they'd replace their armor over their long lifespan.
But ultimately it all comes down to preference. It could be explained that certain clans always stick to the same armor and etc. But we've also seen iterations on that same armor multiple times on screen now. I'm sure, visually speaking, production would probably want a different look for the film.
"Same clothes"
He'll change out his codpiece don't worry.
Similar armor set or not, I doubt anyone here legitmately or realistically expects the Grayback to wear everything he was wearing exactly in "Predator 2" to call for such a statement. Geez, just that Second Infantry Division tattered cloth he wears alone is from the 1900s.
May 22, 2022, 09:29:53 AM
I like a bit more creativity is all.
As far as masks go I'm fine with whatever they choose for him. He doesn't have one in the original film and he's been depicted with three other masks (one from Illfonic and two from Neca) and it's not like he had one in the original appearance anyways. Wolf's wall suggested they could have multiple masks anyways so between his mask and armor it's possible he has another set. And really maybe he should have a different armor set. Keep the design recognizable, but we're 300 years earlier and it'd do a lot for the lore if we can see an older armor or a returning design that isn't the Jungle Hunter gear. Suggest that the technology has changed and hunting methods may have adapted over time. Something worth noting at least to me was how in AVP the armor could be altered in the field and ended up with the same half chest sort of look even though it isn't Jungle Hunter's gear. Something like that I'd be all for. If this is his first trip, maybe he's still figuring things out.
300 years is along time for us, might be 30 years to them, and as a knight who would trade damaged armor for new during his years of service, there's a good chance it's not very aesthetically different as that time went by. And who knows what this "armor" is constructed of (barely armor - perhaps it's not even serving the purpose of armor at all - again more tribe or bloodline based). I like to think the Lost Predator ship carried Hunters from different tribes.
I get the preference. But for me, the more I think about it, I'd like the same armor style on Grayback if he returns in "Prey". Different body & dread jewelry, perhaps tribal paint, clearly younger looking, different shoulder canon and packs, but same armor 'style' with minor changes.