Shane Black’s reboot of The Predator has been described as many things – a reinvention with a modern-day setting and an Iron Man 3-esque event movie, to name but two.
But according to lead star Keegan-Michael Key, Black’s long-gestating redo isn’t your typical sequel; rather, it exists “in the same universe” as other films in the franchise.
Entertainment Weekly caught up with the actor-comedian to discuss his role in Netflix series Friends From College, though it wasn’t long before the conversation veered toward Hollywood’s blockbuster scene and, in particular, The Predator. Thanks to Black’s multiple status reports, we know that Keegan-Michael Key is part of an ensemble cast that includes Black Panther‘s Sterling K. Brown, Trevante Rhodes, Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, and Olivia Munn, but as the Keanu actor tells EW, Shane Black and his team are rustling up an R-rated tentpole that will leave moviegoers “pleasantly surprised.” At least, that’s the idea.
Predator was a real privilege to do, and if people think they’re going to see a remake of the original movie, they’re in for a surprise, A very pleasant surprise.
When pressed about the continuity of The Predator and how it fits into the franchise’s somewhat convoluted timeline, Keegan-Michael Key was quick to point out that the sci-fi thriller is not so much a sequel to the 1987 original as it is a continuation rooted in the same universe.
It’s not a sequel… It certainly lives in the universe of the five films that were made. I think that’s probably the best way to say it and the only way I can say it right now.
Once scheduled for a release in February, The Predator is now poised to open on August 3rd, 2018.
