The Predator Finds Its Prey: First Look At Thomas Jane And Alfie Allen In 'The Predator'

Polish your pistols and dry off those dreadlocks, the hunt is on for Shane Black's upcoming Predator movie. Imaginatively titled The Predator, Black brings the fourth *official* #Predator film to our screens, and the most recent since 2010's Predators. While shooting has only just got underway, audiences are still left in the dark at where exactly the franchise's next entry is heading. Off the back of that rather cheesy first cast photo, a more realistic version of the actors on set has surfaced online.

Showing the "thrilling" shot of a group of men on a bus (which sounds like my Friday night at 4am with a kebab), it does include our first look at Augusto Aguilera, Alfie Allen, and Thomas Jane in their roles. While the photo implies that it may just be a macho affair, the likes of Olivia Munn and Yvonne Strahovski will show the boys how it is done. All of the above are potential fodder for the Predator's mighty arsenal of space age weaponry, however, #ShaneBlack has teased it will all be different this time.

Back To (Shane) Black

It certainly looked like bros before hoes, as Black tweeted the image alongside the caption:

"Stone killers with serious acting chops — but which of them will be chopped… by THE PREDATOR? (See what I did there?"

When we first saw the first cast picture of Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, and Keegan-Michael Key alongside Munn, many had questioned where "big name" #ThomasJane was among the #scifi slaughter. As a star of films like The Mist, Deep Blue Sea, and The Punisher, Jane is arguably the biggest name on the list. Once tipped to play The Comedian in Zack Snyder's Watchmen, Jane was the first choice to play Rick Grimes on AMC's The Walking Dead, so is the 48-year-old being queued up as this film's Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny Glover.

However, someone else could be the one to watch. Given #BoydHolbrook's recent high as Donald Pierce in James Mangold's Logan, could he be The Predator's lead? It is reported that Holbrook plays Quinn McKenna, a former marine and special forces commando who struggles to convince people of the Pred's existence. The role was originally offered to both James Franco and Benico del Toro, but after Logan, Holbrook seems as good a choice as any.

Elsewhere, Alfie Allen is swapping getting his c*ck chopped off on Game of Thrones for getting something else (presumably) chopped off in The Predator. Why Allen is holding a pack of cards remains to be seen, but it presumably leads to an expanded backstory that he has a gambling problem, or that he is a hustler, rather than some Now You See Me illusion B.S. One thing is for sure, we can probably expect Allen's part to be relatively short — he has "shoot here" written all over his forehead!

A New Chapter

For those hoping for a film akin to John McTiernan's 1987 original, it is probably best to give up now. We *may* get a genetically enhanced, 10ft tall, Predator, but the film *may* also be set in the suburbs. 1990's Predator 2 was much-maligned for its city setting, while the franchise seemingly does better when a team of commandos is stalked through the jungle.

The suburban setting is further reaffirmed by the casting of Yvonne Strahovski as mother to young Jacob Tremblay's character. Strahovski is the ex-wife of Holbrook's character, who is pulled into a battle with the intergalactic bounty hunter over her son. There is good news though, after saying PG-13 is for p*ssies, we at least know that a gory R-rating will give us some spine-ripping red stuff to flow down the screen.

Luckily, if anyone has an affinity to the franchise, it is Black himself. You may remember that the Iron Man 3 director took the role of Hawkins in McTiernan's original film, so you could say he grew up with the Predator. Place your bets now on who will be the first to meet the Predator's claw because you are in for a bit of a wait.

Filming is currently underway for The Predator, scheduled for release on February 9, 2018.