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‘Predator’ Reboot Taps Shane Black

By Scott Falkner
Published on: 01:59 PST, Jun 25, 2014

Shane Black has been given the task of rebooting the Predator science-fiction franchise for 20th Century Fox, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The screenwriter of Lethal Weapon, and writer-director for both Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, Shane Black will pen a treatment for the Predator project, and then hand off the screenwriting duties to Fred Dekker, with whom Black wrote 1987’s Monster Squad. Shane is reportedly overseeing the writing and attached to direct the Predator reboot.

The original Predator starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura as military commandos being hunted in the jungle by an otherworldly predator. John McTiernan directed the original, and Shane Black actually had a bit part, acting in the sci-fi classic.

When the original was in production, the producers and 20th Century Fox called on Shane Black to polish the script. Shane turned them down, but when they called back and told him he could have a small role in the film in addition to the writing duties, Black agreed.

Since the original film, there have been several sequels and spin-offs. Predator 2 was released without Schwarzenegger in 1990, and Predators was released in 2010. In 2004 and 2007, Fox combined its Predator and Alien franchises, releasing AVP: Alien vs. Predator, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem respectively.

Actually, according to SlashFilm.com, Predators wasn’t really a sequel, per se, but rather a previous attempt to kickstart the Predator franchise back to life with Robert Rodriquez producing, Nimrod Antal directing, and starring Adrien Brody.

Shane Black is actually quite busy at the moment. Black is currently casting The Nice Guys, a seventies crime vehicle that was originally intended for television. Such stars as Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are rumored to be interested in the project. In addition to that, Shane is also developing Doc Savage, an adaptation of the 1930’s comic book hero, for Sony. He recently met with Thor star Chris Hemsworth about the role, but at present the film seems mired in budgetary concerns.

Another reboot of the Predator franchise has been met with mixed reactions by fans.

Some were upset:

And some were stoked:

Either way, considering Shane Black’s current schedule, it’ll most likely be 2017 before any of us see a finished Predator reboot.

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