In the upcoming Predator film, tentatively titled Skulls, fans will be treated to a long-awaited origin story reminiscent of what the Alien Universe did with Prometheus. While there isn’t a great deal of information available about the prequel, it has been revealed that the flick occurs in the distant past, perhaps during the age before modern human history existed.
Understandably, some fans are concerned that the film will inevitably complicate things. There’s also the fact that fear is in the unknown, and if too many details are disclosed about the Predators themselves, they could lose the qualities that make them horrifying in the first place. However, the lore is something audiences have been eager to see meaningfully expanded on for years at this point. While not much is known about the mysterious warrior race outside of their penchant for big game violence, there is plenty of existing mythology surrounding the franchise to explore.
The Yautja, more commonly known as Predators, is a scientifically advanced warrior species capable of interstellar travel that ritualistically hunt dangerous sentient beings for sport. So naturally, there is no greater thrill or honor than dominating worthy classes of lifeforms by bloodshed to their kind. In essence, the Hunters track a target then run them down using their cutting-edge technology to their advantage. Through cloaking devices, various types of terrifying weapons and helmets equipped with different modes of vision, as well as other useful functions, Predators can kill their prey with relative ease.
As revealed in Alien vs. Predator, the Yautja have used the Earth as a hunting ground for centuries. They have interacted with humans as early as the Archaic period, influencing several prominent civilizations ranging from the Aztecs to the Egyptians. Apparently, in the distant past, when the Predators first arrived, people worshipped them as gods and learned how to build architectural marvels like temples and pyramids using the Hunter's vastly superior knowledge. In fact, the Predators’ intervention in early human development explains how and why so many cultures of antiquity possess similar customs, cultivations and accomplishments.
RELATED: Predator: Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Fired for Passing Out From Dehydration
It's also important to note that throughout history, Predators bred captured Xenomorphs to maturity and treated their Earthbound devotees as sacrificial lambs for the slaughter. In exchange for their advanced skills and guidance, humans were used as hosts for the Xenomorphs to spawn inside so that the Yautja could habitually pursue them in combat. Described as a rite of passage, these initiation Hunts occurred each century on Earth. Without a doubt, the Yautja are fearless hunters, but they also have a code. In Predator 2, a pregnant woman was spared her life even though she was a credible threat. proving that the species doesn't just kill indiscriminately and they indeed have an Honor Code. They only hunt worthy game, meaning children, the elderly, or those weakened by an ailment will have their lives spared.
To boot, if any Predator proves to be unsuccessful in their deadly pursuits, it is customary to activate their Wrist Gauntlet's Self-Destruct Device and carry out ritual suicide. Thus, the Hunters kill themselves not only to die with honor but to eliminate evidence of their presence while simultaneously preventing their technology from being seized by other species. But suppose one of their own is defeated. In that case, they will reward the person for killing their comrade with a trophy item, as they did with Michael R. Harrigan in Predator 2 and Alexa "Lex" Woods in Alien vs. Predator, before disappearing with their fallen squad member on their starship.
Furthermore, it's also not out of character for the Yautja to forcibly remove humans from their homeworld and make them partake in Hunts on a game preserve planet, such as in Predators. Be that as it may, Predators is chronologically the last film in the universe, while Skulls will bring the series in a surprising new direction, back in time to the beginning. In a conversation with Collider, producer John Davis said Skulls "goes back to what made the original Predator movie work. It’s the ingenuity of a human being who won’t give up, who’s able to observe and interpret, basically being able to beat a stronger, more powerful, well-armed force.”
In regards to the specific details surrounding the era of human history explored, Davis played it coy, imploring fans of the long-standing franchise to “use [their] imagination." Only time will tell whether or not the fifth installment of Predator will captivate audiences and successfully relaunch the series, but for fans itching to dive into lore, there's plenty to sink their teeth into.
KEEP READING: The Last Duel: The True Story Behind Ridley Scott's Film