Set 300 years ago in the Comanche Nation, Prey is an action-thriller from 20th Century Studios, starring Amber Midthunder, who portrays the character of Naru in the movie. She is a fierce and highly skilled warrior who sets out to protect her clan when danger sets upon them. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg from a screenplay by Patrick Aison, the movie went on to be one of the most successful movies to premiere on Hulu.
The seventh movie in the Predator franchise premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022 and impressed the audience with some of its sequences filmed in the Comanche language. Upon its release, the movie received a positive response from critics and the audience, with special praise for the actress who plays Naru in the movie. Critics also dubbed Prey as one of the best Predator installments and now there has been an update about the sequel.
Amber Midthunder is likely to return as Naru for Prey 2
According to reports by Deadline, the highly anticipated sequel to 2022’s Prey is finally happening, and the sequel is reportedly in its early development stage. With actress Amber Midthunder returning as the main character, this marks a very significant shift in the franchise, as the publication reports.
The interesting element is that even though there have been seven films featuring the infamous alien, there has never been an instance where the star of a previous film has returned to reprise their role.
Prey, upon its release, was one of the most-watched premieres on Hulu, holding a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Back in 2023, when the actress was asked about the sequel to the movie while speaking to Variety, she said,
I mean, I don’t have a date for you. This is not an announcement, but I’m not saying it’s not happening. We talk all the time about all kinds of things, and that was probably one.
The actress added that, just like the audience, she is also interested in knowing where her character’s story goes next and insisted that she is ready for the sequel. Midthunder added that she loved the experience of working on the movie and would be happy to see where else they could take it.
The director had also expressed his interest in directing the sequel in September 2022 (via CBR), although nothing was finalized at the time. However, he said that he would like to be involved in the sequel, adding that he thinks several cool things could be done.
The Great star Elle Fanning to star in Badlands?
Apart from a massive update on Prey 2, Deadline also reported that actress Elle Fanning, who is popularly known for her performance as Catherine in The Great, is in talks to join Badlands. It is a standalone movie set in the Predator universe and will reportedly be helmed by Dan Trachtenberg.
The announcement of Badlands was made back in February, and THR reported that the movie is set to be released sometime in the future. No other plot details have been shared, but the director is thrilled to be returning to the Predator setting for his upcoming projects.
Other than Elle Fanning being in talks to join Badlands, she will be seen opposite Timothée Chalamet in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold. She is portraying Bob Dylan’s early-60s love interest, which, according to Deadline, is inspired by his late ex, Suze Rotolo.
A Complete Unknown centers around the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, where young Bob Dylan goes electric and siring rock with his performance as he shakes up things at the Folk Festival. The legendary singer-songwriter became known as the voice of the generation and went on to define one of the most significant transformations in the music industry in the 20th century.
Prey is streaming on Hulu.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a sequel to Prey happening?
A follow-up was reportedly in early development, with Amber Midthunder potentially returning as Naru, according to a Deadline report cited at the time. The franchise has since expanded in a different direction with standalone Predator films, so fans should treat any specific Prey sequel plans as unconfirmed until an official announcement is made by the studio.
How well was Prey received when it was released?
Prey was well received, holding around a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes after premiering as a Hulu original film in August 2022. The movie followed Naru, a Comanche warrior played by Amber Midthunder, and was praised for its practical action and for filming some sequences in the Comanche language, with critics calling it one of the strongest entries in the Predator franchise.
Who directed Prey?
Prey was directed by Dan Trachtenberg from a screenplay by Patrick Aison. Trachtenberg has remained closely involved with the Predator franchise since Prey’s release, going on to direct further projects set in the same universe, continuing the creative direction he helped establish with the acclaimed 2022 film.
