Helmed by Dan Trachtenberg and set in the Northern Great Plains in 1719, the film serves as a precursor to action favourite
11:17, 13 Nov 2025
Amber Midthunder as Naru in Prey(Image: David Bukach)
The ninth instalment of the science fiction franchise Predator has recently made its debut on cinema screens.
Starring Elle Fanning, Predator: Badlands has garnered positive reviews, a stark contrast to some of its predecessors, notably the 2018 film, which failed to impress at the box office.
Devotees of the series, which kicked off in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger portraying Major Dutch Schaefer battling an alien hunting humans for sport, might wish to refresh their understanding of the backstory by tuning into the lesser-known prequel, Prey, airing on Film 4 tonight (Thursday).
Released in 2022 and featuring Amber Midthunder as young Comanche hunter Naru striving to protect her tribe, it emerged as an unexpected critical triumph and was the most viewed film in the US on Hulu and Disney+.
Helmed by Dan Trachtenberg and set in the Northern Great Plains in 1719, the film serves as the precursor to the other entries in the franchise.
Naru is on a mission to prove herself and shield her tribe from French fur traders threatening the local buffalo population they depend on for survival.
Amber Midthunder stars in a critically acclaimed prequel in a sci-fi franchise(Image: Courtesy of 20th Century Studios.)
However, a brutal humanoid alien is also preying on her people.
Prey holds the distinction of being the first Hollywood franchise film to feature an all-Native American cast and the sole movie to have a full Comanche (the language of the indigenous people of the southern Great Plains in the US) dub, with the cast reprising their roles, reports the Mirror.
Cinema enthusiasts were captivated by the prequel, with many claiming it eclipsed the original and stood as the franchise’s finest entry.
“Prey lives up to high expectations, being the first movie in the Predator saga to come close to or even surpass the original. Amber Midthunder delivers one of the best performances of her career,” one viewer wrote on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film secured an impressive 94% rating.
Amber was praised for her performance in the film (Image: David Bukach)
Another concurred, posting: “Easily the best film in the Predator franchise since the original, this prequel is brilliantly directed by 10 Cloverfield Lane filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, with a home run of a star turn by Native American actor Amber Midthunder.”
Meanwhile, a third commended it for reinvigorating the series: “The Predator franchise has new life thanks to Prey.
“The film works on a multitude of levels as a perfect prequel, monster movie, sci-fi flick, a badass heroine story, and win for Native representation and portrayals.”
Prey airs on Film 4 at 9pm tonight, Thursday 13 November.
