The Disney+ Sci-Fi Action Thriller Revives A Dead Franchise

It’s worth mentioning that Prey is Hulu original, and following Hulu’s acquisition by Disney, Prey found itself on the streaming platform that previously focused almost entirely on family-oriented content. Unfortunately, considering that Disney only launched a Hulu content hub for Disney+, those who want to see the movie will have to shell out extra dough for the Disney Bundle subscription. And considering that Hulu has plenty of content that isn’t specifically aimed at family-friendly subscribers, this might be a worthwhile investment.

Prey is actually a prequel to the Predator franchise, as it takes place in 1917 in the Great Planes, with Natu, a young Comanche woman trained as a healer, dreaming of becoming a great hunter like her brother Taabe. She eventually encounters an alien hunter, survives a few encounters by sheer luck, eventually outsmarts him, and takes his own head as her trophy. It’s a typical Predator movie in which the hunter ends up becoming prey.

However, what really saved the movie franchise was the way in which Prey’s narrative was constructed. The original 1987 Predator didn’t really fare well with the critics, and most of them called it a dull movie with very few surprises, with some criticizing that the alien’s motivations are poorly explained in the movie. But therein lies the very core of the issue: the predators hunt, and that’s exactly the point. Its motivation is the hunt alone, and Prey perfectly replicated and expanded upon this recipe.

It shifts the view of the audience to focus on the protagonist—Yautja’s prey—her fear of the unknown and unseen hunter that obviously has an advantage over its prey, the inevitability of death in the face of such a creature, and the discovery of her own internal power.

And just like in the original movie, the narrative shifts, and the hunter becomes the hunted; the game of cat and mouse, a living chess game, begins and ends with the prey being lured into a trap of its own design. So, it’s somewhat safe to say that things that Predator was criticized for actually made Prey into what it is.

Ultimately, the movie was highly anticipated by the audiences, and it ended up being very successful among both the critics and the audiences. Fortunately for everyone, the movie also features a post-credits scene, which sets the foundation for the future of the franchise, and Prey’s director states that 20th Century Studios is interested in continuing the franchise, with ongoing discussion on how it can be done properly. Those interested in watching Prey can stream it via Disney+.