The Predator Franchise Easter Eggs Dan Trachtenberg Doesn't Want You To Miss - Exclusive
At four canonical entries in before "Prey" alongside two crossover films, the "Predator" franchise is one of cinema's most recognizable sci-fi horror staples. The newest entry is the first to break the chronological continuity of the main four films, taking us 300 years into the past as a Yautja warrior lands and threatens a nearby Comanche tribe. It's a technologically advanced hunter, sure, but one that looks startlingly different from the aliens we've seen before. Sporting a frightening bone mask, targeted darts instead of its established plasma weapons, and a reliance on melee (alongside its traditional cloaking ability), this is a lean, mean, lower tech Yautja variant.
Although "Prey" breaks chronological sequence with an earlier historical society and a lower-tech Yautja, that isn't to say this fifth franchise entry isn't loaded with subtle homages to the "Predator" films of yore. In a new exclusive interview with director Dan Trachtenberg and producer Jhane Myers, Trachtenberg reveals that there are indeed subtle Easter eggs and callbacks to be found that will no doubt be discovered by dedicated observers.
A treasure trove of references
In the interview, Dan Trachtenberg first notes that there's a key callback to the first "Predator," where Arnold Schwarzeneggar's 'Dutch' masks himself from the Yautja's thermal vision by covering himself in mud. The callback, however, isn't just a rehash of Dutch's technique — she finds her own way towards a similar end.
Trachtenberg explains that "I was excited to have [Naru's technique] function similar to the first movie [...] but I did not want it to be the same thing, I thought that would be a little boring." Instead, she finds a route that's specific to the unique set of knowledges she has as a character. In "embracing all sides of herself to vanquish the threat, [... that] could be a much more moving and thematically weighted approach to dealing with the mechanic inside a 'Predator' movie."
Protagonist Naru finding a way to hide her heat signature isn't the only Easter egg to find. A number of details point to memorable moments from franchise history. Trachtenberg promises "there are so many Easter Eggs, some big, some small." For the dedicated "Predator" fan, he teases a number of things to look out for.
"The way the character shushes another character is certainly a reference," he says. "There's lines like 'if it bleeds, we can kill it,' and the way someone is cut is a very specific reference [...] there's [also a] weapon in this movie that's a pretty major reference."
The film boasts a number of other references that should stand out to someone with a stellar "Predator" memory.
"Prey" premieres exclusively on Hulu August 5th.