'Predator' producer says success of 'Prey' could pave way for 'origin story' or 'another AVP' film

Following the success of Prey on Hulu, the future finally looks a little brighter for the Predator film franchise, which, until recently, had failed to recapture the strange magic of the 1987 original in any of its sequel projects over the last 35 years.

Screenwriter Patrick Aison and director Dan Trachtenberg proved that all the spine-ripping Yautja needed was a back-to-basics approach and a change of historical scenery. Their vision paid off, with Prey netting acclaim from fans and critics alike, as well as the biggest debut of any Hulu film or TV show in the streamer's 15-year history. It currently holds the highest Rotten Tomatoes score — an astonishing 93 percent — of the entire Predator canon and has drawn praise from OG cast members like Jesse Ventura and Bill Duke. There's nowhere to go but up and nothing is off the table...not even another chapter in the Alien vs. Predator crossover saga.

Recently speaking with Variety for a look back at the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led movie that started it all, longtime Predator producer John Davis lightly speculated on the future of the sci-fi series. “Well, maybe there’s an origin origin story," he teased. "Maybe there’s another Alien vs. Predator story in a different situation. And maybe there’s a new modern-day version. And maybe there’s something somewhere in between. I think this character can show up throughout history."

Davis also let slip that Prey was originally supposed to be announced shortly after the release of writer-director Shane Black's failed attempt at a reboot — The Predator — all the way back in 2018. However, it ended up delayed, partly as a result of Disney's $71 billion acquisition of 20th Century Fox (now going under the title of 20th Century Studios).

“Dan came to me and we went to the studio, and it was in the middle of making the other movie,” recalled the producer. “And we decided, ‘Alright, let’s do this, but we’re gonna make it a top-secret project.’ So the whole idea was to keep this top-secret. The other movie would come out, and then we would announce that we were ready right away to make this. Now, it took a lot longer than right away because different things happened and Fox got sold. It moved over into Disney, and I think it’s great. Disney understood the potential of this franchise."

Prey is now streaming on Hulu along with the rest of the Predator franchise — including both Alien vs. Predator flicks.

Looking for more sci-fi cinema? Jordan Peele's NOPE is now playing in theaters everywhere.