Crave Online Interviews Shane Black

[Corporal Hicks]

http://www.craveonline.com/site/989463-interview-shane-black-nice-guys-predator-doc-savage#/slide/1

Right at the bottom of the interview are a few questions and answers about The Predator. Nothing too major but it hints at an actual reason behind the title and possible expansion on the Predator culture. Interesting but not worth a news post, I didn't think.

The idea of the historical context of your stories interests me, because one of the other stories that you're working on right now is The Predator.

Yeah.

That feels like it came very much kicking and screaming out of a particular macho mindset of 1980s cinema. I'm wondering if that, in your eyes, is still relevant now or if that needs to change contexts for today?

I think that the only thing that the 1980s macho context really has to add is that back then, the actors tended to be more... I think more "men," and less "boys." For instance, back in the day, the ones who filled my head as I grew up: Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, those types of people in The Dirty Dozen. "Men." I don't want to see a wiry kid with with a man-bun fight the Predator. And that's the difference. Now, that said, I think it would be great to shake it up, that not everybody who goes up against the Predator is a tough guy with giant muscles.

You're calling it The Predator. Is that just a way to rebrand it, or refocus it, or is there a significance to that [title], like, "This is the one. This guy is THE Predator?"

There is a reference in the script as to why that makes sense but I'm not really supposed to talk about it.

I respect that, I was just curious if you could. I'm very much looking forward that. I was a huge fan of Predator right from the beginning, and it always seemed like there was so much more to explore than we ever really got.

Yeah, they became very comfortable with just sort of shuffling them out in the same [way]. And you go "Oh look, honey, another Predator. Yeah, there he is." The look didn't... You don't want to change it up too much but you want something more said about it. You want another discovery, another mystery to solve that makes it fresh again.

I want to know, because Predators are intelligent creatures with spaceships and technology, and it seems like they're all hunters. There's got to be like a support class who are actually building these machines.

It's addressed in the movie. So yeah.

Is only the original Predator in continuity? Are you doing one of those kinds of follow-ups, or does Alien vs. Predator and everything count?

Well, all I can really say is it's set present day, so that kind of lets out the one where they travel to other worlds. I think that was the Robert Rodriguez one. We can maybe do some pre-lapping [...] but it's set in 2018.

Which I think makes Predator 2 in the past though?

Say again?

I'm trying to remember when Predator 2 takes place. I think it was in the late '90s "future."

No, these things all happened in 1990, but now it's 25 years later. So in other words, if Arnold [Schwarzenegger]'s in it - which I'm not allowed to discuss [laughs] - he would be old Arnold.

[Johnny Handsome]

I want to know, because Predators are intelligent creatures with spaceships and technology, and it seems like they're all hunters. There's got to be like a support class who are actually building these machines.

It's addressed in the movie. So yeah.

Interesting, really interesting. I actually want to know some new stuff so it looks like they expand the character, which hadn't been done since Predator 2.

[Corporal Hicks]

Yeah, that's what I thought was quite interesting. It hints at some actual expansion upon their culture. I wonder to what extent and how Black will handle it.

[The Alien Predator]

I want to know, because Predators are intelligent creatures with spaceships and technology, and it seems like they're all hunters. There's got to be like a support class who are actually building these machines.

It's addressed in the movie. So yeah.

This really has me intrigued. How is it going to be addressed in the film though? Maybe by a scene where one of these engineering Predators hands the main one a gadget or something.

Or will it be humans speculating or stating what they learned or theorized?

Maybe the ship breaks half way to Earth  in the first scene and the hunters call in these fellows to fix it.

[Corporal Hicks]

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/687099-the-predator-would-feature-an-old-arnold-schwarzenegger-if-he-appears?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=the-predator-would-feature-an-old-arnold-schwarzenegger-if-he-appears#/slide/1

The Predator would feature an Old Arnold Schwarzenegger...if he appeared

And that's what people got from the Crave interview. 

[RakaiThwei]

A Predator support class which builds the weapons and ships? Okay, I suppose I could be for that..

This one is probably was expected..

Is only the original Predator in continuity? Are you doing one of those kinds of follow-ups, or does Alien vs. Predator and everything count?

Well, all I can really say is it's set present day, so that kind of lets out the one where they travel to other worlds. I think that was the Robert Rodriguez one. We can maybe do some pre-lapping [...] but it's set in 2018.

So he IS counting the previous three movies? Okay, we knew that but does this include the AVPs? Well.. given that the interviewer ask about those, methinks maybe but still... Interesting he was asked about continuity. But what does he mean by "let out"?