The action star-turned-governor-turned-action-star recently hinted at a meeting with Predator 4 director Shane Black.
These days, Arnold Schwarzenegger is kind of like an old rock band, touring the country and collecting his checks by trotting out the oldies that we all know and love. His role in the Expendables movies boiled down to little more than reciting the most infamous catchphrases he has coined over the years, he recently dusted off The Terminator for another (ill-advised) run in Terminator: Genisys, and he will be returning in the role that started it all when The Legend of Conan begins production. Hell, Ahhhnold’s even announced that we can expect a Twins sequel, Triplets, at some point in the near future.
One role that Arnold hasn’t hinted at reprising, however, is perhaps his most beloved one of them all: The uber-assassin Dutch from John McTiernan’s 1987 classic, Predator.
Schwarzenegger was originally supposed to return to the sci-fi staple in Predator 2 until a contract dispute saw him replaced by Danny Glover, and has somewhat shockingly remained absent from the franchise’s crossover films with Alien and the Adrien Brody-starring Predators released back in 2010. But that all may change with the upcoming fourth entry in the series, The Predator.
Speaking with his fansite, TheArnoldFans.com, The Governator revealed that he would be meeting with The Predator director Shane Black (who also portrayed Hawkins in the first film) about the project and whether there would be a potential role for him in it.
I haven’t talked with Shane Black yet but I’m going to meet with him for lunch sometime soon. Just as soon as I’m finished with (Arnold’s Sports Festival) and ‘The Apprentice’ and all this stuff. But I will get together with him. If there is any news, we’ll of course let you know right away.
We got word back in December that a script from Fred Dekker (Monster Squad) had been turned in for The Predator, and the early reaction to it was overwhelming positive. Unfortunately, this is why some believe the idea of Schwarzenegger reprising his role could actually hurt the film.
Aside from the obvious limitations that Arnold’s age would place on his role, the Predator franchise is one former Schwarzenegger vehicle that seems content to move on without him. When discussing the script turned in by Dekker, Producer John Davis told Collider that “…the writing is so fresh, the perspective is so fresh. I’m telling you, you’re going to get something you don’t expect and you’re going to say, ‘This is the most entertaining way to reinvent a franchise.'”
By bringing back Dutch in any capacity, really (aside from maybe a cameo role reminiscent of Dutch’s general in the original), The Predator would be doing anything but reinventing itself, and given the success of Terminator: Genisys, it might be best to just go this one alone.
We’ll see how things turn out, but for now, The Predator is currently scheduled to hit theaters on March 2nd, 2018.
Source: AintItCool
