Since its initial debut in 1987, the Predator franchise has been one of the most consistent in the sci-fi/action thriller space. From Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s original classic to underrated entries like Predatorsto even the famed AVP: Alien vs Predator crossovers, fans can’t get enough of these alien warriors on the big screen. But there’s one entry in the franchise that completely changed the direction of the sci-fi staple, beginning director Dan Trachtenberg‘s trilogy of Yautja-based projects that have breathed new life into the concept. If you’ve already put together that we’re talking about Prey, then open up Hulu and get watching, because this Predator prequel is a one-of-a-kind survival adventure.
‘Prey’ Was a Bold Swing for the Predator Franchise, but It Stands on Its Own
Set during the early 1700s in an age of western exploration that predated even the United States of America, Prey follows a young Comanche woman named Naru (Amber Midthunder). Naru desires to become just as capable a fighter as her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers), but as the threat of foreign French explorers encroach on Comanche territory, things go from bad to worse when a new, feral Yautja (played by Dane DiLiegro) arrives on the Great Plains. What begins as a historical drama expanding on the lives of the Comanche before the founding of the U.S. slowly turns into an action-packed alien thriller with horror undertones as Naru and those around her are hunted and slaughtered by the alien warrior. Of course, as is often the case in Predator movies, she eventually gains the upper-hand on the creature, which she dubs a “Mupitsi,” but only after showing some serious survival skills first — and upon the inclusion of a direct reference to a firearm shown in the controversial Predator2.
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Prey is an interesting edition to the Predator franchise because it chooses to look to the past instead of being fixed in the present or the future, as is the case with previous entries (there’s some debate as to whenPredators takes place, but it’s arguably set in 2025, which was the “future” back in 2010). Doing so opened the door for the franchise to become more “anthology based” rather than mythology-based (as the Alien series is), with basically limitless potential for human/Yautja warfare so far as there are interesting historical tales to tell. The idea of shifting the focus away from the Predator itself and expanding on how unique historical cultures would handle the monster is arguably perfected by Trachtenberg. It’s no wonder that he had more stories in store beyond this made-for-Hulu production — which is far better than most sci-fi movies found on streaming.
Part of Prey‘s success comes from the way that the land itself becomes a part of the story. As Carly Lane noted in her 2022 review of the film for Collider, “Prey is a film that uses every part of its natural surroundings to create striking visuals as rendered by cinematographer Jeff Cutter.” Indeed, it’s this technique that divorces the prequel from every installment after the original, emphasizing the thrill of the hunt itself and the lack of technological or arsenal resources at the main character’s disposal. “Prey conclusively works by taking the Predator franchise back to basics,” Lane added, “stripping away much of the technology and giant explosions in favor of focusing on a character-driven narrative of struggle and triumph.”
‘Prey’ Launched Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator Trilogy That Reignited the Sci-Fi Franchise
After the failure that was The Predator in 2018, it seemed as if the franchise had gone as stale as Terminator. But Prey launched the science fiction IP back into the public eye with an engaging tale of suspense and historical intrigue that pulled viewers back in. Because of that, Trachtenberg was able to make the animated anthology film Predator: Killer of Killers in 2025, followed that same year by the live-action Predator: Badlands. While Killer of Killers leaned into the historical elements that made Prey great, telling stories set across various time periods in human history, Badlands took a different approach by appearing to be set in the far future on an alien world, further cementing the franchise’s connection to the Alien saga. (Quick note: While the Alien movies do not consider the AVP crossovers canon, the Predator franchise seems to, and has thus folded the events of the Alien franchise into its continuity.)
If you’re interested in diving into this modern Predator trilogy, Prey is the best place to start. Although parts of Killer of Killers are set well before the events of Prey, the 2022 film factors heavily into the end of the animated anthology picture, making it best to view these Trachtenberg-directed productions in release order. Of course, Prey is an enjoyable historical sci-fi flick all on its own, and of all three installments helmed by the 10 Cloverfield Lane director, certainly stands out as the most isolated of the bunch. As a Hulu original, it can always be found on the streaming platform, right beside every other entry in the sci-fi series.
