Fred Dekker talks The Predator in a new podcast with The Movie Crypt. In the new interview, Fred Dekker briefly discusses his work on The Predator, talking about the characters, keeping the mystery of the Predator, Black and Dekker’s inspiration and the scope of the film.
While discussing the approach he takes to writing characters and how he identifies that unique voice for his characters, Fred Dekker discussed what we can expect from the characters in The Predator:
“I used to just want to come up with quips and just smart alecky lines and what not. Now I’ve begun to look at the characters as attitude, really. This is something we’re doing on The Predator now. I can’t talk a lot about it but I tell you about the process of writing it. One of the things is that every character has kind of an attitude. Who is this person? What do they want? Why are they doing what they’re doing? And just by having each of those characters have a different agenda and a different life experience they start sounding different and they can bounce off each other like ping-pong balls. It’s really exciting and it’s relatively new to me.”
Dekker re-iterates later on that from his perspective as the writer he wants to tell a story where you’re interested in the characters, even if the Predator doesn’t make an appearance.
When asked about where in the production process The Predator is, Dekker confirms that the script is finalized and that the film is currently being budgeted, that casting has begun and that they’re still aiming for a late September shoot.
Talking about the writing mentality behind the latest instalment, Dekker says: “[talking about Predator] It’s relatively simple. Our idea was “we know that story already”. What’s behind the curtain? Why are they here? What are they doing? What’s the bigger picture of this? They’ve touched on it a little in the other films, in the AvPs and whatnot.”
Having been asked about demystifying the Predator, Dekker hints at an exploration of the Predators that doesn’t remove their metaphorical teeth and make them less scary but also hints that this time maybe more than just a simple hunt:
“There’s a world out there…we know the Predators come from somewhere…we know they do. How did they get here? Why are they here? Those are questions I think you can answer, or at least explore, without defeating that sense of scariness. Who knows if their agenda has changed?”
Dekker also mentions his excitement at working on the film though he admits that whilst he enjoyed the first film, he wasn’t as big a fan of Predator as director and writing partner, Shane Black, was. He also goes on to say that Black and Dekker have been inspired by Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Howard Hawks, that they were aiming for that level of emotion and gravitas.
Discussing the scope of the film, Dekker later compares Predator and The Predator to Alien and Aliens, saying that The Predator is akin to Aliens where “it’s not Ten Little Indians. It’s not just let’s kill off all of our characters – we have a lot of characters from a lot of different worlds and ideologies. I don’t mean by that other planets. It’s a lot of people doing a lot of things in a lot of locations.”
Be sure to head on over to The Movie Crypt and check out the whole podcast! The Predator talks begins at around 1:22:00. Thanks to Johnny Handsome for the news.
Quote from: overthere on May 31, 2016, 01:08:08 PM
I don't like to see that he wasn't "as big of a fan" of Predator as Shane.
Quote from: overthere on May 31, 2016, 01:08:08 PM
From the rest of it, it sounds like the actual Predator won't be the center of the movie. I'm a bit worried it'll be like Godzilla, where the movie technically is about Godzilla, but the actual creature is on screen for 10 minutes.
Then again, Predator wasn't on screen much longer in the original, but there was tension of his presence throughout.
QuoteHe also goes on to say that Black and Dekker
Quote from: overthere on May 31, 2016, 02:48:14 PM
I'm extremely excited about the movie, and more and more with every new information we get.
Quote from: Russ on May 31, 2016, 03:24:52 PMQuoteHe also goes on to say that Black and Dekker
You did that on purpose...
Quote from: RakaiThwei on May 31, 2016, 03:55:52 PM
Hmmmm...
Some of the things still has me on the fence. Like with Dekker willing to answer questions like where they came from, why are they here, etc... I don't know, we know where they come from and we know they're here to hunt us. But the idea of it being more than a simple hunt... well, why exactly else would they want to be here? I mean if we are focusing on just.. one Predator.. what else could there be for it being here? Coupled with the idea that we maybe seeing Predator scientist and engineers... I can't imagine what's going on now.
The agenda of the hunt has changed? Mmmmm.... Well, I'mma wait and see to hear more. I just... I dunno.
Quote from: RakaiThwei on May 31, 2016, 03:55:52 PM
Hmmmm...
Some of the things still has me on the fence. Like with Dekker willing to answer questions like where they came from, why are they here, etc... I don't know, we know where they come from and we know they're here to hunt us.
Quote from: overthere on May 31, 2016, 05:18:14 PM
"Black and Dekker" ?
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 31, 2016, 04:45:12 PM
I think people are just jumping the gun here with the Chicken Little reaction, expecting the worse.
Quote from: Darkness on May 31, 2016, 06:23:40 PM
Sounds like we'll get something similar to AvP Requiem where we'll get a scene on the Predator planet showing what they're doing. I can see fans having the same arguments just before Predator 2 came out but expanding the mythology was done really well there.
Quote from: genocyber on May 31, 2016, 08:59:07 PM
I want to see more of the home world from AVP Requiem.
Quote from: genocyber on May 31, 2016, 08:59:07 PM
I want to see more of the home world from AVP Requiem.
Quote from: overthere on May 31, 2016, 06:29:26 PM
There's just no pleasing us.
Quote from: Master on May 31, 2016, 08:47:31 PM
I was always saying I want something fresh. Definitely not complaining, just don't place it in jungle please.
Quote from: Darkness on May 31, 2016, 06:23:40 PM
Sounds like we'll get something similar to AvP Requiem where we'll get a scene on the Predator planet showing what they're doing. I can see fans having the same arguments just before Predator 2 came out but expanding the mythology was done really well there.
QuoteOh, and I love the fanart. It'd be great to see them hunting some big creature.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jun 01, 2016, 07:18:03 AM
That's the ultimate truth. While we maybe fans, we're all also individuals with many different backgrounds and it's impossible to to do any one thing that will please every single person who considers themselves a fan.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jun 02, 2016, 10:33:27 AM...it equates to their desire to make the characters genuinely interesting to be with.
Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 02, 2016, 09:56:28 AM
I thought the last news were decent, exactly what i wanted.
If i want to watch Predator 1 + 2 i'll go do that, i don't want the same movie over and over again. Everybody is screaming when the word "Remake" drops, yet, i have a feeling that a couple of people actually want exactly that.
I for one want to move forward with the franchise, worked really well with Predator 2, you saw spaceships, new weapons, a different Predator and a different setting, there is more great stuff for us to discover without making it a documentary. The new stuff in Predator 2 for example didn't harm the Predator or it's scariness at all, it only made it a more three-dimensional and interesting character.
We've seen a Predator a thousand times now and the things they do, what's the point of making another movie? Might as well introduce some new cool stuff.
Predators, for me, was partly so damn boring because they continued the formula of the other two movies and actually added nothing really interesting to the Predators themselves.
I don't want to know every little detail about them either, but after 26 years, the "pan could use some fresh oil".
Quote from: Predator_Spirit on Jun 02, 2016, 12:18:15 PMNow that the movie will involve much people around the world and show them to you, is the contrary.
Quote from: Predator_Spirit on Jun 02, 2016, 12:18:15 PMIt's not about topping the first two movies, but making another awesome movie, but different so.Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 02, 2016, 09:56:28 AM
I thought the last news were decent, exactly what i wanted.
If i want to watch Predator 1 + 2 i'll go do that, i don't want the same movie over and over again. Everybody is screaming when the word "Remake" drops, yet, i have a feeling that a couple of people actually want exactly that.
I for one want to move forward with the franchise, worked really well with Predator 2, you saw spaceships, new weapons, a different Predator and a different setting, there is more great stuff for us to discover without making it a documentary. The new stuff in Predator 2 for example didn't harm the Predator or it's scariness at all, it only made it a more three-dimensional and interesting character.
We've seen a Predator a thousand times now and the things they do, what's the point of making another movie? Might as well introduce some new cool stuff.
Predators, for me, was partly so damn boring because they continued the formula of the other two movies and actually added nothing really interesting to the Predators themselves.
I don't want to know every little detail about them either, but after 26 years, the "pan could use some fresh oil".
P1 and P2 can't be topped on their own turf, for the simple reason that they totally belong to their era, the best.
What they did at the end of Predator 2 was perfect, they let you guess.
The Predator will show you what's behind the curtain, but there wasn't any curtain in the first place because
it wasn't the point of the movies.They made two stories with a few deaths, confined in the jungle and LA, epic.
Now that the movie will involve much people around the world and show them to you, is the contrary.
I can already smell the "planet Earth is at stake here" bs.
Nowadays people need this , if not ,it's not epic.
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jun 02, 2016, 12:26:38 PMQuote from: Predator_Spirit on Jun 02, 2016, 12:18:15 PMNow that the movie will involve much people around the world and show them to you, is the contrary.
But that's all just assumptions. Just because the film will travel to various locations around the globe, it doesn't mean there'll suddenly be some vast Predator army out in the open assaulting Earth in front of everybody.
Black's specifically said the film won't be that.
Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 02, 2016, 01:07:07 PMQuote from: Predator_Spirit on Jun 02, 2016, 12:18:15 PMIt's not about topping the first two movies, but making another awesome movie, but different so.Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 02, 2016, 09:56:28 AM
I thought the last news were decent, exactly what i wanted.
If i want to watch Predator 1 + 2 i'll go do that, i don't want the same movie over and over again. Everybody is screaming when the word "Remake" drops, yet, i have a feeling that a couple of people actually want exactly that.
I for one want to move forward with the franchise, worked really well with Predator 2, you saw spaceships, new weapons, a different Predator and a different setting, there is more great stuff for us to discover without making it a documentary. The new stuff in Predator 2 for example didn't harm the Predator or it's scariness at all, it only made it a more three-dimensional and interesting character.
We've seen a Predator a thousand times now and the things they do, what's the point of making another movie? Might as well introduce some new cool stuff.
Predators, for me, was partly so damn boring because they continued the formula of the other two movies and actually added nothing really interesting to the Predators themselves.
I don't want to know every little detail about them either, but after 26 years, the "pan could use some fresh oil".
P1 and P2 can't be topped on their own turf, for the simple reason that they totally belong to their era, the best.
What they did at the end of Predator 2 was perfect, they let you guess.
The Predator will show you what's behind the curtain, but there wasn't any curtain in the first place because
it wasn't the point of the movies.They made two stories with a few deaths, confined in the jungle and LA, epic.
Now that the movie will involve much people around the world and show them to you, is the contrary.
I can already smell the "planet Earth is at stake here" bs.
Nowadays people need this , if not ,it's not epic.
A movie with a Predator doesn't really need to be all about the hunt, i would love a Predator come to earth to get back a piece of stolen Predator technology for example. What if they did found some leftovers from the very first Predator? What if they found his spaceship or something? Would Predators not do anything about it? That would be a case of a "changed Agenda" for example, yet would still be very exciting. The "whats behind the curtain" comment could very well be, that they find out that there is actually a global hunt going on, 10 Predators at the same time hunting and killing people all over the world, that would actually allow for different locations and many characters and have Predator still do their thing.
You want a movie that is exclusively about the hunt, Predator killing people, people find out they are being hunted and kill the Predator... yawn, good for you. I want something a little more this time, involve the government and the military.
I love the first two movies, everybody knows that, but having seen them 500 times i just want something fresh this time, i want to be surprised and having that "holy shit" moment again.
Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 02, 2016, 01:07:07 PM
A movie with a Predator doesn't really need to be all about the hunt, i would love a Predator come to earth to get back a piece of stolen Predator technology for example. What if they did found some leftovers from the very first Predator? What if they found his spaceship or something? Would Predators not do anything about it? That would be a case of a "changed Agenda" for example, yet would still be very exciting. The "whats behind the curtain" comment could very well be, that they find out that there is actually a global hunt going on, 10 Predators at the same time hunting and killing people all over the world, that would actually allow for different locations and many characters and have Predator still do their thing.
You want a movie that is exclusively about the hunt, Predator killing people, people find out they are being hunted and kill the Predator... yawn, good for you. I want something a little more this time, involve the government and the military.
I love the first two movies, everybody knows that, but having seen them 500 times i just want something fresh this time, i want to be surprised and having that "holy shit" moment again.
Quote from: Keith on Jun 03, 2016, 01:53:11 AM
Whenever you make a Predator film, and don't have the Predator doing Predator things (like hunting, skinning, decapitating, etc.), you're going to piss off a lot of patrons. It's that simple.
Quote from: RakaiThwei on Jun 03, 2016, 02:38:39 AM
Is anyone else getting the feeling that they're going to be changing the aspect of the hunt? Like it's not about finding a challenging hunt, having it be sporting and participating in it for the thrill while taking trophies anymore? I don't know why but... Fred's words seemed to invoke that feeling from me.
Hope I am wrong though. :-\
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Jun 03, 2016, 08:36:30 AM
Which is something people complained about. But the point was, he wasn't there to hunt and aside from the random skinning, people didn't complain about his change in agenda for being there.
Quote from: Johnny Handsome on Jun 03, 2016, 09:05:20 AM
The "what's the bigger picture of this" comment could also mean that they connect the events of the first movie with some other incidents around the world at the same time.
One i could imagine is that the first Predator was on earth with a group of hunters, some others were in the citys and different jungles and we find out, that there is a competition going on between the Predators, who's coming home with the best trophy, who killed the biggest warrior? That would explain why the Predator was after Dutch and show us the "bigger picture" of the movie and that there is maybe more going on than "one Predator has some fun in the jungle", also why Predators may have some interest in Dutch, who's the guy that killed on of our most respected warriors?
No harm done to the original, just expanding the mythology.
There are many good ways to do this.