Prey just unveiled fans' best look yet at a vital piece of the Predator's arsenal in the upcoming prequel.
A new still showcasing the intergalactic hunter's shield recently surfaced online courtesy of Time Out. It highlights the defensive weapon's ornate yet practical design, which was first briefly glimpsed in the movie's teaser trailer. As seen in that footage, the Predator's shield is actually made up of a series of retractable blades housed in a compact unit mounted on the alien creature's forearm.
While the Predator has gained a new shield for his return to the big screen, director Dan Trachtenberg previously revealed that the alien warrior won't be armed with his most powerful toy. Trachtenberg confirmed that Prey won't feature the plasma caster because the heat-seeking energy weapon because it gave the Predator too great of an advantage. "[I]t just felt like such an instant win button," he said. "I wanted to make sure that the fight could be as exciting as possible without stripping it of its advantages. He doesn't have all the tools that he has in the in newer movies. But he does have awesome new gadgets for people to see."
Trachtenberg also explained why the Predator looks different in Prey, chalking up his more streamlined, less armor-heavy aesthetic to the movie being a prequel. "[The Predator's] intelligent and it has advanced technology, and that makes it even more difficult to take on," he said. "But because the movie is set 300 years in the past, those things need to feel a little bit older than we've seen before, but also still far more advanced than what we think our earthlings would be able to handle." The director added that while Prey's incarnation of the iconic movie monster isn't quite the same as fans remember, the character is just as scary as ever, if not more so.
The film's American Civil War setting was first unveiled when the Prey teaser trailer dropped in May 2022, although 20th Century Studios first made this detail known in November 2020. The teaser also included several shots of Comanche warrior protagonist Naru (Amber Midthunder) in action alongside other members of her tribe. Prey's period setting differentiates it from most of the Predator franchise, which (aside from futuristic 2018 installment Predators) have all taken place in the present day. This, along with the changes Trachtenberg has made to Predator's armor and arsenal, recently prompted 20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell to label Prey a "big creative swing" for the studio.
Prey premieres on Hulu on Aug. 5.
Source: Time Out