Predators Writer Reveals Scrapped Sequel Plans Featuring Die Hard on a Predator Ship Premise

AVP Galaxy recently interviewed Predators writer Alex Litvak, who shared details on one of the scenarios for a sequel had it been made. The film was released back in 2010 and made $52 million domestic and $127 million worldwide. However, a direct sequel to that film never materialized. Instead, the franchise picked up in 2018 with The Predator, directed by Shane Black, and the events of Predators were largely ignored. Below are some highlights from Alex Litvak discussing the sequel that never came to be:

Litvak on what he wanted for the sequel: “In the sequel – now this is with Royce and Isabelle – they’re still on the planet, they’re still stuck there. And they [the Predators] keep dropping more people. And the opening of the movie was that somebody new gets dropped and a Predator shows up about to kill this person. Boom! The Predator gets killed and it’s Royce and Isabelle showing up saying, ‘Welcome to the resistance.’

“So now they have their own little tribe on the planet where they’re surviving, they’re being hunted but they’re also striking back so we establish the way they are. We also establish that Royce and Isabelle are incredibly valuable targets because these guys [the Berserker/Super Predators] are all about the genetic upgrades. They want their DNA. But they’re still stuck here. They’ve got their foothold on survival, but how do we get back to Earth? There’s only one way. We’ve got to get on the Predator ship.”

On how the scenario was like Die Hard on a Predator ship: “At the end of Act One Royce, Isabelle and their guys are captured by Super Predators – on purpose because they allow themselves to be captured – and are brought to their ship that they use to funnel people to this planet. There’s got to be some sort of big transport. So now you get to see this transport. So our guys breakout…and what the movie is is Die Hard on a Predator ship.”

“The idea was now you break free and now you’re trying to take control of the ship with all of the Super Predators you have to fight there. And of course all the other shit that’s there…like the alien zoo on that ship… And get this…the last thing is why Drew [20th Century Fox] was like ‘Wow, I love that idea!’ At the end of the day we win, we get back to Earth, we land and we realize it’s the future! All along we thought this was happening now, but what if these guys have been on ice for 300 years? The hatch opens, and the Space [Colonial] Marines come in!”

On the story aligning with the Alien Universe: “That was how we merge the two worlds – the Alien and Predator world finally merge and bring the Space Marines into the story. He [Drew at Fox] goes ‘I f***ing love it!’ We just kept waiting for him to say, ‘Go write this’…I can’t speak to that, but I guess some stars never lined up so that version never got off the ground.”