Exclusive: Shane Black discusses The Predator as production nears

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The great Shane Black is currently doing the press rounds for his new movie THE NICE GUYS, which looks to be an absolute blast, another great buddy action/comedy from the mind behind LETHAL WEAPON, THE LAST BOY SCOUT, THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT, and KISS KISS BANG BANG (not to mention Marvel's IRON MAN 3). While THE NICE GUYS definitely has our attention, we also can't help but look forward to Black's next project with great anticipation. I mean, the guy is returning to the world of PREDATOR nearly thirty years after co-starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original film, and he has brought his THE MONSTER SQUAD co-writer (and that film's director) Fred Dekker with him. That's awesome.

Black is going to direct, from a script he wrote with Dekker, an "inventive sequel" called THE PREDATOR, and today our own Eric Walkuski was able to have a brief conversation with him about the project.

When asked what drew him back to the PREDATOR franchise, Black said, 

I was reluctant to. If you look at the opening of the first Predator, with the helicopters coming in and landing with the smoke and the native people… It was so compelling because it established a world in which this is still mysterious for you. It's not a sci-fi world. It was so fresh back then, like a "why didn't I think of that, what the f*ck?" quality to it. I'd like to get back to a movie where it's three months out and people are like, "Let's get our tickets now because we're aware of this, it seems like they put the money and attention into it, it's not just a knock-off." Really try to get back to that feeling of wonderment, mystery and adventure. A fresh movie. Without giving away details, that's been our goal. To say, "What's the John McTiernan and Joel Silver of this, and how do we get back to that?"

The filmmaker also confirmed that THE PREDATOR will be the next movie he directs, and he plans to be in production well before the end of the year.

I think we're looking at end of September, maybe. Latest would be October, depending on casting. We might have to go over if we cast someone who isn't available yet. But if we get the right guys, September.

Of course, with rumors flying around that Schwarzenegger may have some kind of role in the film, Black had to be asked about that possibility. His reply was probably exactly what you'd expect: 

Can't really talk about that!

THE PREDATOR is scheduled for release on March 2, 2018.