Casting Rumor: James Franco to Star in The Predator?

[Corporal Hicks]

James Franco to star in The Predator? According to the latest episode of Meet the Movie Press, James Franco’s agency Creative Artists Agency is pushing for Franco to be cast in Shane Black’s The Predator.

This rumor comes via Jeff Sneider (of The Wrap) who had previously mentioned (although it wasn’t widely reported) that Shane Black had his eyes on several actors who had appeared in the Batman films.

Apparently, it was Ben Affleck that Shane Black was after (with Christan Bale and Tom Hardy as second choices) but Affleck passed. According to Sneider, CAA are pushing for James Franco to star as McKenna, the lead in The Predator. Although Franco is apparently not one of Black’s top choices, he is supposedly high on CAA’s list for this casting and as such are pushing him for the role. The discussion takes place at around 27:30 in the video below.

Sneider had also mentioned that Bradley Cooper had also been approached about a role but had passed on the opportunity. If these rumors are indeed true, it would appear Fox and Shane Black have their eyes on big A-listers to lead the cast of The Predator.

James Franco to Star in The Predator?

Previous to this, the only other news we’ve heard about the casting of The Predator was that Curtis Jackson had said he would be appearing in the film and that Arnold could possibly appear. What do you think of the possibility of James Franco in the starring role of the new Predator film? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks to Heroic Hollywood and Ed Arent for the news.

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[ROYCE_THE_PREDATOR]

Shit I never would of thought of that and I think its BadAss!!!! I would be so down for James Franco in the film as the main action Badass star!!!! I'm surprised Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper turned the roles down. I'm a fan of both guys as actors as well. But wow I'm on board for James Franco in The Predator!!!!

[Xan21]

Surprised...to say the least...just when Pianist guy was announced for Predators, don't know what to think of it yet... At least he's a good actor.

[me]

While Predator was really a anti-macho movie (The Predator broke down the walls these macho men put up and revealed them to be afraid little men, except for Dutch who never pretended to be someone he wasn't thus allowing him to defeat the Predator) I don't know how Franco is going to work here. I think he is going to have to pull off a performance of a lifetime.  Perhaps he will play a detective tracking down the Predator (moreso than Glover's character).  I thought when Black said this was a detective story, I was hoping the detective would be the predator.

[Corporal Hicks]

Black did hint at a possible detective story. I wouldn't think of Franco for the lead in something like the first Predator but something a little less 80s action, I can see him in. I think this comes with the same sigma that McBride's casting did, and that's that Franco is a largely known for comedy.

Franco has some other great things. I loved him Rise of Planet of the Apes. I think it's important to remember that if this is legit (and considering the source, I wouldn't think it wouldn't be) then it's the agency that is pushing Franco, not him being Black's choice.

[ROYCE_THE_PREDATOR]

John Davis previously said the new film will break new ground, which seems to be the trend for movies these days. Meaning do something very cool and different from what we've seen before. So I think The Predator himself will be centered alot in the movie from his perspective.

[me]

Yes, Franco is very capable but I think this is going to be challenging for him. If he gets the role, good luck to him.  I was sad to see Affleck pass (maybe due to his Batman commitments) and Bradley Cooper pass. 

Perhaps this is hinting to a Se7en or The Long Halloween (Batman comic), where grisly murders are occurring and the detective has to track down the usual suspects before the Predator is revealed.  There might be a problem in this because everyone knows about the Predator.  Or perhaps they can put a twist on this that might make this fresh where the audience won't be ahead of the character before the film ends.

We will see soon enough.

[Corporal Hicks]

Perhaps this is hinting to a Se7en or The Long Halloween (Batman comic), where grisly murders are occurring and the detective has to track down the usual suspects before the Predator is revealed.  There might be a problem in this because everyone knows about the Predator.  Or perhaps they can put a twist on this that might make this fresh where the audience won't be ahead of the character before the film ends.

I think if they do go down the detective route, the character needs to be as informed as the audience. We already had one detective story with Predator 2, a complete repeat wouldn't do well imho. Perhaps McKenna is there, specifically looking for the Predator. He works for what's left of Keye's team or some government agency, or hell maybe even Dutch.

[me]

Hicks, I totally agree.  They can't let the audience be ahead of the character.  Two ways to accomplish this.  The first way as you said is have the audience and character know about the Predator, be on the same page.  The second is to keep them in the moment as they take the journey along with the character (Cameron did this with Titanic and Gibson did this with the Passion, distracting them from the obvious ending). 

I personally would like to see a technology-less Predator have to rely on its wits and whatever weapons become handy to take down a group of heavily armed individuals.  Don't make the Predator the hero or good guy, there will be none in this movie....but make it about how good of a hunter the Predator is.

[overthere]

Imagine if Ben Affleck accepted. The movie would have been extremely popular just because of him. I'm disappointed he turned it down.
I don't see Franco in this, though before I knew he was more of a comedy guy, I saw him in Spiderman and he was convincing to me there.

By the way, Adrian Brody was excellent in Predators.

[whiterabbit]

James Franco seems an odd choice out of left field but hey, sometimes you've gotta change up your A-game.

[overthere]

I don't think anyone could take Franco seriously in a Predator movie. Least of all the actual Predator, as he'd never consider him a target.

[Xan21]

I really don't like Adrien Brody in Predators, but that could have been bad directing. I hate how he uses his affectated voice and a lot of other stuff that bugged me. He is a good actor really, but not in that mediocre wannabe film.

Ben Affleck & Christian Bale are just other A-listers which I really do not care about at all so I'm happy their not in it either They are actors the way Beyonce is a singer, they act like they're a gift from god. Tom Hardy would have been fantastic.

[XENOMORPHOSIS]

Plot twist James Franco's actually playing The PREDATOR DUN DUN DUH!

[overthere]

James Franco actually is the predator. He was obsessed by the 1987. story that he became a copycat. The actual Predator didn't even get to Earth.