The Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot of Blade has had a long, rough ride through the development process, and as of right now it doesn’t even have a director attached (Jeymes Samuel, a.k.a. The Bullitts, who previously directed the Netflix Western The Harder They Fall and the Biblical dramedy The Book of Clarence, was recently rumored for the job, but he said there was no truth to the rumor). So there probably weren’t many Marvel fans who were expecting the movie to stick with its November 7, 2025 release date – and therefore, few will be surprised or disappointed to hear that Blade has indeed been bumped out of 2025. Deadline reports that Disney will be releasing 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands on November 7, 2025 instead of Marvel’s vampire slayer movie.

The fact that there was going to be a Blade reboot as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Mashershala Ali in the title role, came as a huge surprise when the announcement was made at the San Diego Comic-Con back in July of 2019… but we’ve passed the five year anniversary of that announcement, and there’s still no sign that Blade will be filming any time soon. The closest we’ve gotten is Ali making a vocal cameo as the character at the end of Eternals back in 2021. We recently heard a rumor that Ali is getting “increasingly frustrated” with the long development process on this one. Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre have been cast alongside Ali as the years have gone by, but are no longer involved, as their characters have apparently been written out. Co-star Mia Goth, who is rumored to be playing the villainous Lilith, is still attached – and she has said that she’s fine with the delays, because it shows that Marvel really cares about the project. Two directors, Bassam Tariq and Yann Demange, have dropped out along the way.

As for Predator: Badlands, this one is coming our way from Prey director Dan Trachtenberg, making him the first filmmaker to take the helm of two films in the Predator franchise. Trachtenberg crafted the story, which was then fleshed out into a screenplay by Prey screenwriter Patrick Aison.

According to a casting call, Predator: Badlands has the following synopsis: A groundbreaking film in which one of the two main storylines delves into the intricate bond of two very different sisters, their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions. We’ve previously heard that the story is set sometime in the future.

The casting call was searching for a lead actress who could take on the dual role of twin sisters Thia and Tessa: This casting is for a dual character, and describes both characters. Character identifies as female or non-binary, open ethnicity, mid 20s – mid 40s. Thia has spent most of her life in a laboratory and is now embarking on her first big adventure in the world. She is incredibly smart, witty, enthusiastic, and unflappable. She has an innate disregard for danger, not because she’s fearless, but simply because she’s naive. Strong comedy chops required. // The other sister, Tessa, has a militant intensity when it comes to achieving her family’s goals and mission objectives. She will not let anything get in her way, not even her twin sister.

Super 8‘s Elle Fanning stars in the film, which went into production in New Zealand earlier this year.

What do you think of Predator: Badlands bumping Blade out of its November 2025 release date? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

While taking Blade off of their schedule, Disney revealed that they have scheduled three untitled Marvel movies for release on February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028.

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Back in February, it was announced that Prey director Dan Trachtenberg would become the first filmmaker to take the helm of two films in the Predator franchise, as he was moving ahead with a new Predator film titled Badlands, working from a screenplay by Prey screenwriter Patrick Aison (based on a story crafted by Trachtenberg himself), with filming expected to begin this summer. In June, it was revealed that Super 8‘s Elle Fanning had been cast in the film. Now, the folks at AVPGalaxy have learned that Badlands is currently in production in New Zealand, filming under the codename Backpack, and they’ve gotten their hands on a casting call that reveals some details about the project!

According to this casting call, Predator: Badlands has the following synopsis: A groundbreaking film in which one of the two main storylines delves into the intricate bond of two very different sisters, their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions. We’ve previously heard that the story is set sometime in the future.

The casting call was searching for a lead actress who could take on the dual role of twin sisters Thia and Tessa: This casting is for a dual character, and describes both characters. Character identifies as female or non-binary, open ethnicity, mid 20s – mid 40s. Thia has spent most of her life in a laboratory and is now embarking on her first big adventure in the world. She is incredibly smart, witty, enthusiastic, and unflappable. She has an innate disregard for danger, not because she’s fearless, but simply because she’s naive. Strong comedy chops required. // The other sister, Tessa, has a militant intensity when it comes to achieving her family’s goals and mission objectives. She will not let anything get in her way, not even her twin sister.

The casting call notes that filming would be taking place in New Zealand from late June through September. As for the physical requirements of the actress, “Must be comfortable training for heavy action/combat, must also be comfortable wearing prosthetics/heavy makeup, and MUST be 5’8” or shorter.” It seems likely that Elle Fanning has been cast as Thia and Tessa, even though she’s not 5’8″ or shorter. Fanning is reportedly 5’9″. Close enough?

AVPGalaxy has heard that Badlands has been filming in Rotorua and Te Kuiti, and will be heading to South Head next.

What do you think of the Predator: Badlands details revealed on the casting call? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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When Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, the Disney-owned Marvel Comics gained the ability to make comic books based on the Predator franchise. They started releasing Predator comics in 2022, and in 2023 they brought us a four-issue limited series crossover between the Predator and one of their most popular characters, Wolverine. Now the Predator is set to go up against another popular Marvel superhero, as the first issue of the four-issue limited series Predator Versus Black Panther is scheduled to reach store shelves on August 21st! A cover can be seen below, courtesy of Marvel, along with some sample pages from SuperHeroHype.

Coming our way from writer Benjamin Percy, who also wrote Predator vs. Wolverine, and artist Chris Allen (with Ken Lashley creating the cover art), the first issue of Predator Versus Black Panther has the following synopsis: WAKANDA…IS PREY? You saw the Marvel Universe’s most tenacious mutant go up against one of the greatest killing machines in history in PREDATOR VS. WOLVERINE – and survive. Now the planet Earth lives on in Predator lore…a planet full of the most exhilarating prey they could imagine! And the strongest weapons in the Multiverse are in their sights. When a young Predator with something to prove comes for Wakanda’s vibranium, the Black Panther faces an enemy whose resources rival those of his great nation. Who will prove stronger?

When asked how his versions of the Predators and Black Panther might differ from those seen in the movies, Percy told Gizmodo, “If you’re a comics nerd, I will feed you. If you’re a movie nerd, I will feed you too. And if you’ve never read or seen anything about Predator or Black Panther, you can get fed as well. I want these to be evergreen titles, and the best way to accomplish that is to honor legacy while not overly burdening the reader with continuity homework.” He also teased that the story features a Predator King, who “has two sons who are at war with one another. Vibranium might be the weapon that determines their claim.“

These Marvel crossovers aren’t the first time the Predator has fought superheroes. Before Marvel got the comic rights, Predator was set up at Dark Horse Comics, and they used to team up with DC Comics for crossovers like Batman Versus Predator (which was so popular that it got two sequels), Superman vs. Predator, and JLA Versus Predator. Outside of the superhero realm, they even teamed up with Archie Comics for a couple Archie vs. Predator books. Predators have fought Judge Dredd and Tarzan before, too.

I haven’t read most of the Predator comics that are out there, but I loved the Batman Versus Predator books when I was a kid, and since I’ve always been more of a Marvel fan, I’m excited to see the Predator get the chance to go up against Marvel characters now. I will definitely be reading Predator Versus Black Panther.

Will you be reading Predator Versus Black Panther? Check out the cover and the sample pages, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Back in the mid-1990s, Robert Rodriguez wrote the screenplay for a Predator sequel that would be titled Predators… but the studio decided to put that one on the shelf for fifteen years before circling back to Rodriguez and giving him the chance to bring Predators to the screen. Rodriguez produced the movie and hired Alex Litvak and Michael Finch to rework his old script. The search for a director came down to two contenders: Control, Vacancy, and Armored director Nimród Antal and Dog Soldiers, The Descent, and Doomsday director Neil Marshall. The job ended up going to Antal, but more than a decade later, Marshall is still hoping he’ll get his chance to make a Predator movie someday.

Marshall was asked about being in the running for Predators while speaking with Inverse, and he said, “As far as I’m aware, I got down to the last two directors. We were both invited separately to visit Texas and met with Robert Rodriguez. I saw his studio, went out for some barbecue, and he sounded me out. It was great but he hired the other guy; that’s the way it goes. I love the franchise, and I’d love to make a Predator movie sometime, the same way I’d like to do an Alien movie too. There’s a bunch of things I’d have done differently if I was directing Predators. All things considered, I’d rather start from scratch and do a fresh take on the Predator concept, rather than do anything that’s come before me.“

When the interviewer said the Predator could work within any setting or time period, Marshall agreed. “Very much so. Could we do Predator on the beaches of Normandy? I’d love to see Predator in the desert. Put the Predator in Afghanistan or somewhere like that. That would be cool. Predators versus ninjas! That would do me.“

20th Century Studios seems content to leave the Predator franchise in the hands of Prey director Dan Trachtenberg for now, and they have him working on both a Prey sequel and a separate Predator film called Badlands (which is set to star Elle Fanning), but there are a lot of filmmakers out there who would love to work on a Predator story. Neil Marshall wants the job, a Predator movie would be a dream gig for Atlas director Brad Peyton, the Predators creative team wanted to make “Die Hard on a Predator ship,” etc.

Would you like to see a Predator movie directed by Neil Marshall? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

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Elle Fanning (The Great, The Neon Demon, Super 8) could be trading her bustle for survival gear after being in talks to join the cast of Dan Trachtenberg’s standalone Predator film Badlands. Deadline says Fanning is negotiating for the role in the highly anticipated film, which Trachtenberg is directing and co-writing with Patrick Aison.

Anticipation for Trachtenberg’s Prey follow-up is through the roof. Prey was a surprise smash hit of 2022, with Trachtenberg and star Amber Midthunder arguably delivering the best Predator movie since the 1987 classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Plot details for Badlands remain a mystery, as do the film’s release plans. Prey premiered exclusively on Hulu to record numbers during the pandemic. However, 20th Century Studios is going hard in the paint with its extraterrestrial action flicks and the upcoming Alien: Romulus coming to theaters. It would not be surprising to see Badlands debuting on the silver screen alongside the Xenomorph threat.

In addition to Elle Fanning possibly joining the cast of Badlands, a new Alien game called Alien Rogue Incursion was previewed at Sony Playstation’s latest State of Play presentation. The single-player action game launches during the 2024 Holiday window on Steram, the PlayStation VR2, and Meta Quest 3. The VR-based first-person shooter finds players hunted by a vicious Xenomorph in a claustrophobic environment on Purdan. Players use pulse rifles and other iconic weapons to survive the onslaught, with Xenomorphs spawning in the shadows, looking to make a meal out of anyone dumb enough to stand in their way.

Speaking of video games, Elle Fanning stars in Hideo Kojima’s upcoming sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. She joins Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, Troy Baker, Shioli Kutsuna, Jonathan Roumie, Kevin Ko, Krishna Kumar, Marty Rhone, and Joseph Anthony DePronio II for the anticipated, narratively-baffling follow-up to the 2019 original.

Meanwhile, Elle Fanning is currently filming Going Electric for director James Mangold. The story revolves around the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, where a young Bob Dylan shakes up his act on the folk music scene by going electric and siring rock as the voice of a generation.

Are you excited about Elle Fanning joining the cast of Dan Trachtenberg’s Badlands? Let us know in the comments section below.

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For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Chris Barnes

Chris founded BRUTAL Posters early 2018 and has since worked on multiple BAFTA and EMMY winning films & TV shows. His clients include Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, MGM, A24, Gunpowder & Sky, Fangoria, Shudder, Arrow Video, Vinegar Syndrome, metal bands such as Cradle of Filth, Municipal Waste, Ingested, Skinless, and comedians such as Tom Davis and Dusty Slay.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
CHRIS: I’ve always loved drawing and painting since childhood, and went on to study Art at college – specialising in pencil and acrylics. Once I finished college I regrettably didn’t do anything art wise until around 2017! I was involved in making a short film and when the time came to commission a poster we had no money! I knew absolutely zero about digital art but decided to try and knock something together on Paint! It was shit. I tried again. Also shit, but I loved trying, so became a bit obsessed by digital art and artists.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
It’s the old cliché really: I was born in the 80s, so grew up gawping at Drew Struzan, John Alvin, etc, in the cinema foyer. Magic. I can’t explain how it makes me feel staring at their work, to this day. I get lost in it and obsess over every detail they crammed in there. There are tons more artists that I love, but thinking about it now those were the fellas that got me hooked.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
Maaan, tons! There’s no way I can avoid missing so many great ones out, but Steve Chorney, James Goodridge, Jason Edmiston, Paul Mann, Tony Stella, Kyle Lambert. Special shoutout to Marc Schoenbach too – when I was trying my best to learn about digital postermaking, Marc’s work cropped up and I was convinced they were vintage horror designs I’d somehow missed previously. As it turns out, of course, they’re brand new and opened my eyes to what’s possible. Marc’s since become a good mate and huge support. He’s the fucking man.

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
Work for you, design stuff that you’d like to look at. Enjoy it – even the ones that aren’t quite turning out as you planned. Keep going, get work behind you, practice. Share work, put it out there. It’s scary but fuck it, do it anyway. Some people won’t like it but that’s fine, because you will. Other people will too and they’ll hire you because they like what you do. Go easy on yourself.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
I only tend to plan work for around a month/6 weeks in advance, and I’m really thankful to have some slipcovers, posters, and album covers lined up. Plus, there’s some stuff I’ve finished a while back that’s due for release for Vinegar Syndrome, Yellow Veil, Culture Shock, and a couple of others which I’m looking forward to.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
Yikes. I’ll stick to horror I watch on repeat for the movies: An American Werewolf In London, Hellraiser, Fright Night, A Nightmare On Elm St, Evil Dead. I bet you’ve never had anyone say these before!
Series: The Sopranos, The Sopranos, and The Sopranos. And Succession.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Chris as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / X / Poster Spy

Bad Taste

The Batman II

The Blair Witch Project

Breaking Bad

Cabal

Evil Dead Rise

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

Joker: Folie à Deux

King On Screen

The Monster Squad

A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

The Omen

Predator

Return Of The Living Dead

Rick Rubin – The Crative Act: A Way of Being

Robocop

Rocky

The Shining

Succession

Talk To Me

Type 0 Negative

Vamp

X

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Brad Peyton is a big fan of Predator. In fact, he once told THR that he’d seen the original movie over 365 times. Given his passion for the movie, it’s only natural that he’d like his own shot at directing an installment of the sci-fi franchise. While speaking with THR about his recent Netflix movie Atlas, Peyton said he has a take on a Predator story that he’d like to make… assuming he gets the invite.

“I also have a version of Predator that I would really like to see.” Peyton said. “I obviously can’t talk about it, because no one’s inviting me to go do a Predator movie yet.” He added that he also enjoyed the most recent movie in the franchise, Prey. “I really liked it. I thought it was super cool,” Peyton said. “I actually really liked [Prey]. It was really fresh and innovative and interesting, and anytime someone can come in and reinvent a franchise — but also keep the great elements that we love from the original — you have to applaud that person. So I think [Dan Trachtenberg] did that in spades.“

Prey took place in 1719 and followed a young Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder) who sought to protect her people from a vicious alien who was hunting humans for sport. The film was a big success, with some even calling it the best installment of the franchise since the original. Director Dan Trachtenberg will be back for more, as it was announced earlier this year that he would be helming Badlands, which is said to bring the Predator action into a more futuristic setting.

Brad Peyton’s Atlas recently premiered on Netflix. The sci-fi action movie stars Jennifer Lopez as a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence who joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. Unfortunately, the film hasn’t received the best reviews, and our own Alex Maidy wasn’t impressed. “Atlas is a special effects-laden foray into the most cliched science fiction genre offering I have seen in a long time,” Maidy wrote. “With what is supposed to be a timely tale about artificial intelligence, Atlas throws every trope from the last fifty years of scifi movies as it aims to be Netflix’s attempt at a summer tentpole picture. Underwhelming in every way, Atlas is a directionless and limp mess that wastes the talents of everyone involved.” You can check out the rest of Maidy’s review right here.

Would you like to see Brad Peyton direct a Predator movie?

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Just take a sneaky peak back on the movies we’ve covered so far on our ARNIE REVISITED series, and the Austrian Oak had already covered several genres in his rise from bodybuilder to Hollywood icon. Raw Deal and Commando were straight-up action movies, while his work as Conan was an epic mix of action and fantasy. You can even argue that The Terminator is a classic 80s slasher flick, and not simply the revolutionary sci-fi masterpiece it’s generally regarded as. However, he hadn’t managed to blend both horror and science fiction in any of his previous movies, in the way he did with the film we’re focusing on in today’s episode – Predator. It was such a huge success for both star and franchise that it not only helped to further cement Arnie as a Hollywood icon, but also created a franchise packed with sequels, a prequel, crossovers, video games, graphic novels, and so much more. Sure, some of the content in the Predator franchise may be somewhat hit and miss, but there’s no denying the iconic nature of the first movie, with its memorable one-liners, gory deaths and awesome jungle based action.

As we found out in our last episode, the ‘Austrian Oak’s’ last movie before taking on deadly camouflaged aliens, 1986’s Raw Deal, was a decent action flick, but not necessarily an iconic entry in his back catalogue. So, the actor was more than likely on the lookout for a script that could elevate his career and also expand upon the genres in which he had already found great success. Was Predator the movie to achieve all of this? We all know it was, of course, but just how exactly did the sci-fi epic come to be such an iconic movie of the 80s? Well, it’s time to work on those biceps, and embrace your inner goddamn sexual Tyrannosaurus, as we find out here, on ARNIE REVISITED. 

Another thing I mentioned in our Raw Deal episode, was the rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, and how their movies were often in the marketplace together, duking it out for that much sought after box-office revenue. So, amusingly, it was one of Stallone’s most iconic characters that led to Predator being made; if you believe the long-standing rumours that is. Following the release ofRocky IV, in which we see the Italian Stallion take down Dolph Lundgren’s pumped up Ivan Drago, a joke circulated around Hollywood that if a fifth Rocky movie was to be made, he would have to fight an alien, given that he’d run out of earthly opponents. 

Screenwriting brothers Jim and John Thomas took inspiration from the joke, and wrote a screenplay based upon it called ‘Hunter’. The original concept focused on ‘what it is to be hunted’ and featured a band of alien hunters that sought out various different targets. This was streamlined to be one extra-terrestrial hunting the most dangerous species, humans, and in particular the most dangerous kind; a combat soldier. Also, because there were constant special forces operations happening during the period in which the movie would be based, Central America was chosen as the films’ setting. However, as the Thomas brothers were still an unknown quantity in Hollywood, they struggled to gain any attention for their project, and eventually took the risky idea of slipping it under the door of 20th Century Fox producer Michael Levy. This turned out to be just the break they needed as Levy brought the screenplay to the attention of fellow producer Joel Silver, who gave the project the green light. He brought on his former boss Lawrence Gordon as co-producer and hired Nomads director John McTiernan as the movie’s director.

In terms of the cast, obviously our favourite ‘Austrian Oak’ got the call for the lead role of ‘Dutch’, saying at the time when producers Silver and Gordon approached him; “The first thing I look for in a script is a good idea, a majority of scripts are rip-offs of other movies. People think they can become successful overnight. They sat down one weekend and wrote a script because they read that Stallone did that with Rocky. Predator was one of the scripts I read, and it bothered me in one way. It was just me and the alien. So we re-did the whole thing so that it was a team of commandos and then I liked the idea”. The movie had its leading man then, but what about the rest of its macho jungle dwelling elite paramilitaries? 

Well, believe it or not the mussels from brussels, and recent advocate for mountain cold light beer, was originally cast as the Predator. Which, looking back on the character we see in the movie, seems like a pretty wild choice. Van Damme was chosen with the intent that the physical action star would use his martial arts skills to make the Predator an agile, ninja-like hunter. However, when the relatively diminutive star was compared next to his bodybuilding, six foot plus co-stars, it was pretty clear that a more physically imposing man was required to make the creature more intimidating. Also, Van Damme allegedly constantly complained about being too hot in the suffocating suit, as well as the fact that he would only appear on screen as the Predator. Ultimately Van Damme was removed from the movie, and they instead turned to seven-foot-two actor Kevin Peter Hall, who had form in playing larger than life characters, having just finished work as the sasquatch in Harry and the Hendersons. Rounding out the cast as Arnie’s elite band of soldiers was Rocky’s Carl Weathers as ‘Dillon’ while pro wrestler and former Navy Seal, Jesse Ventura, was cast as ‘Blaine’, thanks in no small part to his formidable physique. Rounding out the main players were the likes of Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves and Bill Duke, who Arnie had a rumble with in 1985’s Commando.

Filming on the movie began in March 1986 and, as per the end credits, was entirely shot in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and Palenque Chiapas Mexico. However, sometimes big budget Hollywood productions can’t get in the way of true love, and first unit production was halted so that Arnie could get to his wedding in time, being flown in a private jet, courtesy of the production, to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. On March 26th he was married to Maria Shriver, and the couple had a whirlwind three day honeymoon while the second unit picked up additional shots. Also, in order to stay in the shape required for the muscle-bound action, Carl Weathers said that the cast would get up at 3am to work out before the day’s filming, with the actor also claiming to his co-stars that his physique was naturally given to him, only to then secretly work out when everyone else was out of sight. In fact, such were the physical demands of the movie, Schwarzenegger had gym equipment shipped out to Mexico so that he and his co-stars could work out before filming began. 

It wasn’t just staying in shape that the actors had to contend with. Visibility in the Predator suit was limited which made the tussles between Arnie and Kevin Peter Hall more perilous than they should have been, with the actor saying that, “when he’s supposed to slap me around and stay far from my face, all of a sudden, whap! There is this hand with claws on it!”. Hall stated in an interview that his experience on the film, “wasn’t a movie, it was a survival story for all of us.” with one example being that the actors having to wade through foul and stagnant water that was full of leeches.

REVIEW: Let me just start this section of the article by saying that I absolutely adore Predator, and for the most part I’ve found a lot of merit in ‘some’ of the sequels and other instalments that have followed. I was far too young to catch Predator when it first hit cinemas in 1987, not for want of trying mind, so, I had to wait until its home entertainment release on VHS to get a sneak peak. By which I mean waiting for my considerably older brother to acquire a copy and for us to watch it with his pals when our folks had gone out for the night. We were all obsessed with the ultraviolent VFX, especially the open chest cavity and blown-off arm scenes, the ridiculous machismo and, of course, the forever quotable one-liners. 

The movie’s narrative also plays out perfectly with the plot kicking off as Schwarzenegger and his comrades venture into the jungle in search of South American officials who have been kidnapped by terrorists. The team track and locate the fugitives but soon discover they’re up against a lot more than terrorists, when they find the skinned bodies of green berets who Dutch knew, hanging from the trees. Of course, unbeknown to the team at the time, the Predator is behind these grisly killings and, thanks to an opening shot of an alien spacecraft deploying a shuttle to Earth, we already know the antagonist is an extra-terrestrial. The alien’s mission on earth is to hunt armed and dangerous human quarry and it’s not long before Arnie’s crack squad are slowly picked off in wonderfully brutal ways. Director McTiernan constructed the action with the kind of efficiency that he would go on to perfect with the similarly legendary Die Hard a year later in 1988, stringing together the mayhem and kinetic action with great aplomb.

Unlike some of Arnie’s other more kitsch 80s movies, Predator plays out with a perfect level of credibility, and, more importantly it’s aged well, despite some of the language and terms used by certain characters probably never surviving the script-writing stage nowadays.Predator has become a science fiction, horror and action classic and is clearly not just another dumb 80s Schwarzenegger flick, combining fluid direction with cheesy but hugely entertaining one-liners and gory set pieces. Plus, its villain is so iconic that it surpasses even Arnie’s Tarzan like makeover for the movie’s conclusion, and deservedly set in motion a huge and lasting future for the character.

LEGACY / NOW: Predator was released on June 12th, 1987 in US cinemas, with a gross of $12 million dollars over its opening weekend, making it the number one film at the time. Over the year it was the second highest grossing movie, behind Eddie Murphy’s juggernaut sequel, Beverly Hills Cop II, which is a great result for a movie with a relatively untested premise, but albeit with a massive star attached.

Critically, the movie was met with a somewhat mixed reception. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based upon 60 reviews, and the site’s critical consensus reads, “Predator: Part sci-fi, part horror, part action – all muscle.” This is only relevant if you listen to the views of those on that particular website, of course. From the more contemporary reviewers, The New York Times described the movie as, “grisly and dull with few surprises”, Cinefantastique wrote that, “the militarized monster movie tires under its own derivative weight” while The Los Angeles Times proclaimed it to be, “arguably one of the emptiest, feeblest, most derivative scripts ever made as a major studio movie”. More positive, however, were The Hollywood Reporter who said that the movie is a, “well-made, old-style assault movie” and a “full-assault” visual experience. The UK’s Empire Magazine also praised the movie, saying that, “Predator has gradually become a sci-fi and action classic. It’s not difficult to see why. John McTiernan’s direction is claustrophobic, fluid and assured, staging the action with aplomb but concentrating just as much on tension and atmosphere. A thumping piece of powerhouse cinema.” I’m with Empire on this one!

So then Arnie fans, that’s just about all we have time for in this episode, but as ever the most important aspect of these retrospectives for all of us here at JoBlo, is YOUR take on the movie. Did Arnie and co manage to create a film with a cool premise, badass action and a legacy that deserves to be associated with the now legendary alien manhunter? Or, should it be skinned and strung up like one of its ‘Prey’? Pun intended. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section, and we’ll see you wonderful action fans next time, here on ARNIE REVISITED!

The post Predator: The Birth of a WILD Franchise appeared first on JoBlo.

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up-and-coming, or well-established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Julien Rico

Julien Rico (aka Rico Jr) is a French graphic designer, illustrator and poster artist who creates striking minimalist posters and illustrations for independent, creative agencies and studios such as Disney, Marvel, Netflix, Lionsgate and more.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
RICO JR.: I have been drawing for as long as I can remember, with a love and passion for pop culture, cinema and comics.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
Albert Uderzo (astérix), Steve Ditko (Spider-Man) and Drew Struzan (Star Wars)

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
Doaly, Orlando Arocena and Jim Lee

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
Create to tell something very personal, on subjects that are really close to your heart. Draw what you want to see not what others expect you to do.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
To keep creating official projects for my childhood and nowadays favorite franchises, while surprising myself and the audience.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
Back to the future, Robocop, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and Man of Steel.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Rico Jr. as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / X / Facebook / Linkedin / Behance / Store

Alien

Asterix & Obelix The Middle Kingdom

Batman

The Boy And The Heron

Christopher Nolan

Darth Vader

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Guillermo Del Toro

IT

John Wick Chapter 4

Kong: Skull Island

The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

The Mask

Obi-Wan Kenobi

One Piece

Oppenheimer

Overlord

Prey

Robocop

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Top Gun: Maverick

The X-Men

The post Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net: Julien Rico appeared first on JoBlo.

JoBlo.com recently launched a new weekly documentary series called 80s Horror Memories, where each year of the 1980s has five episodes dedicated to it. Looking back at 1980, we discussed Maniac, Dressed to Kill, Alligator, Friday the 13th, The Shining, Prom Night, and The Fog. The second five episodes were a journey through 1981, covering The Funhouse, The Burning, Friday the 13th Part 2, My Bloody Valentine, Halloween II, The Evil Dead, The Howling, and An American Werewolf in London, as well as the careers of horror hosts Elvira and Joe Bob Briggs. The next five were, of course, all about movies that came out in 1982: Conan the Barbarian, The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, and Poltergeist, with an examination of the short-lived 3-D boom along the way. For 1983, we talked about a trio of Stephen King adaptations, Jaws 3-D, Sleepaway Camp, the rise of TV horror anthologies, and Psycho II. For 1984, we covered the creation of the PG-13 rating, The Terminator, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Our trip through 1985 included Teen Wolf, Re-Animator, A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, Fright Night, Lifeforce, Day of the Dead, and The Return of the Living Dead. For 1986, we covered David Cronenberg’s The Fly, the horror comedies that were released during the year (including Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), Aliens, the connection between horror movies and heavy metal, and David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. Now we’ve reached 1987, and we got our journey through this year started with looks at Clive Barker’s Hellraiser and Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop. Next up is the Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. a space alien classic Predator! You can hear all about it in the embed above.

Sadly, the episode coincides with a very tragic event, with the movie’s iconic co-star, Carl Weathers, passing away today at only 76. We dedicate this episode to you sir.

New episodes of 80s Horror Memories are released through the YouTube channel JoBlo Horror Originals every Friday. 

Here’s the info on 80s Horror Memories: It’s been over 40 years since the decade that shaped the horror movie industry began and having lived through most of those years personally, we at JoBlo/Arrow in the Head have decided to create a 10-part documentary series in which not only cover every nook and cranny of the biggest horror themes from 1980 to 1989 but also what was happening in the world at the time. Join us as we walk down Horror Memory Lane!

And here’s the info on this particular episode: The Predator is one of the most iconic movie monsters ever created, but is the movie more than just a sci-fi actioner, or is it simply machismo brawn over brains? Well, let’s head into the jungle and find out here on 80s Horror Memories.

This episode of 80s Horror Memories was written by Adam Walton, narrated by Tyler Nichols, edited by Adam Walton, produced by Berge Garabedian and John Fallon, co-produced by Mike Conway, and executive produced by Berge Garabedian. The score was provided by Shawn Knippelberg. Special Guests: Matt Winston of Stan Winston Studios and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry).

Let us know what you thought of this episode, plus share some of your own ’80s horror memories by leaving a comment!

Two of the previous episodes of 80s Horror Memories can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!

The post Episode 38 of 80s Horror Memories watches Arnie and the late Carl Weathers battle the Predator appeared first on JoBlo.