Caffeinated Clint
According to IESB, Robert Rodriguez’s oft-rumoured “Predator” remake (last mentioned at Bloody Disgusting) is indeed happening. Rodriguez won’t just produce the film, he’ll direct the picture.
Interestingly enough, the site says the film will be titled “Predators” – indicating that the film is the same one Rodriguez wrote back in the 90s…. one he told Moviehole he didn’t think would ever get made.
‘’It’s too big”, Rodriguez told us in 2004. “I don’t think they’d ever make it, it was just too expensive”.
Rodriguez said his “Predators” script, which he wrote around the time of “Desperado”, was budgeted by the studio at $150 million dollars – and that was over a decade ago!
First things first though – “Predators”, if it’s indeed the same film Rodriguez wrote in the 90s, isn’t so much a remake as it is a sequel – or spin-off – to the first two films (which I’m thankful for) – in fact, it even features Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Dutch’.
The main thrust of the story involves a group of commandos escorting Schwarzenegger’s character (from the 1987 film) to a prison camp. The camp is now run by Predators – who essentially pit monsters-of-all-sorts against each other in some sort of Bloodsport-style competition. And how does Dutch escape his captors? He teams with – no less – a good-guy Predator (which always seemed a bit ‘off’ to me).
The opening sequence of the script, from memory, had/has a Spanish galleon being attacked by humans dressed in Predator gear. That was a pretty cool sequence – but the coolest stuff takes place on the Predator-planet… where we discover the ‘Predator King’!
I imagine Rodriguez will probably change the script – if only because Schwarzenegger’s not really available to do the film. He’ll likely just rewrite that character. But wouldn’t be surprised if most of it stays… it’s definitely a new, fresh take on the “Predator” series.
Meanwhile, Variety says the on-again off-again on-again “Machete”, starring Danny Trejo, is set to lens in June. Rodriguez will co-direct with Ethan Maniquis.
