Arnold Schwarzenegger could once again step into the role of Dutch from Predator, this time in a live-action capacity, following his recent animated cameo and renewed discussions with director Dan Trachtenberg.
During the Predator: Badlands panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Trachtenberg hinted that plans are in motion to bring back Schwarzenegger’s iconic character. «I’m cooking up stuff for that guy,» the director told the Hall H crowd, referring to a recent breakfast meeting he had with the actor and former California governor.
Dutch’s Legacy in the Predator Universe
Schwarzenegger originally portrayed Major Alan ‘Dutch’ Schaefer in John McTiernan’s 1987 Predator, leading a paramilitary team on a rescue mission deep in the Central American jungle, only to be hunted by a deadly alien species. Though the franchise has expanded to nine films, including crossovers with Alien and the upcoming Predator: Badlands, Schwarzenegger has never reprised the role in live-action.
Last month, the franchise saw its first animated entry, Predator: Killer of Killers, followed by a new cut featuring an epilogue scene now streaming on Hulu. The sequence shows Dutch, Danny Glover’s Lt. Mike Harrigan (Predator 2), and Amber Midthunder’s Naru (Prey) in floating coffins borne by Predator warriors. According to Trachtenberg, Schwarzenegger personally approved the use of his likeness for the animated appearance during their breakfast conversation.
A New Chapter in the Franchise
Predator: Badlands marks Trachtenberg’s third entry in the saga after Prey and Killer of Killers. Set to premiere in cinemas on November 7, the film stars Elle Fanning as Thia, who forms an unexpected alliance with a young Predator cast out by his own kind on a distant planet.
Kursiv also reports that British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has unveiled a surprising new look in the latest issue of Men’s Fitness UK.
