Table of Contents

Predator: The Ultimate Hunter

Predator is a science fiction action film series that features an alien race of trophy-seeking hunters known as the “Yautja”. The first film, released in 1987, starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of an elite paramilitary rescue team who are hunted by a mysterious creature in a Central American jungle. The film was a box office success and spawned a media franchise of films, novels, comic books, video games, and toys.

The Predator is a highly advanced and technologically superior being that travels across the galaxy to hunt various species for sport. It has enhanced physical abilities, such as strength, speed, agility, and durability, as well as a variety of weapons and gadgets, such as a cloaking device, a plasma caster, wrist blades, a combi-stick, a smart disc, and a self-destruct device. The Predator also has a code of honor that dictates its hunting behavior, such as only targeting armed or worthy opponents, sparing pregnant or unarmed prey, and collecting trophies from its kills.

The Predator franchise has explored different aspects of the Predator’s culture, history, and biology, as well as introduced new types and sub-species of Predators. The franchise has also crossed over with the Alien franchise, resulting in the Alien vs. Predator films, which depict the conflict between the two iconic extraterrestrial species. The Predator franchise has been praised for its originality, suspense, action, and special effects, and has become one of the most popular and influential sci-fi horror franchises of all time.

The Predator franchise has also expanded its timeline by exploring different periods and settings in which the Predators have visited Earth. The prequel film Prey, released in 2022, takes place in 1719 and follows a young Comanche woman who faces a feral Predator in the Great Plains. The sequel film Predator 2, released in 1990, moves the action from the jungle to the urban jungle of Los Angeles in 1997, where a veteran cop (Danny Glover) and his team encounter a new Predator that is hunting drug lords and gang members. The crossover films Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) reveal that the Predators have been using Earth as a hunting ground for millennia, pitting themselves against their ultimate prey: the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise. These films also show how the Predators have influenced human history and culture, such as building ancient pyramids and temples.

The Predator franchise has also introduced new challenges and threats for both the Predators and their human prey. The film Predators (2010) reverses the premise of the original film by having a group of human mercenaries and criminals abducted and dropped on a game preserve planet, where they are hunted by three different types of Predators. The film The Predator (2018) reveals that the Predators are undergoing a process of hybridization, using the DNA of various species to enhance themselves. This leads to the creation of a rogue Predator that is hunted by a more advanced and larger Predator known as the Upgrade. The film also hints at a possible alliance between humans and Predators against a common enemy.