The Predator Director Talks Reboot's Tone, Characters and R-Rating

The first Predator is an action/sci-fi/horror classic, and one of the hands helping shape it was Iron Man 3 director Shane Black, who helped out with the script and had a small role in the film, as well.

Now Black is set to direct his own installment of the franchise, the upcoming reboot / sequel film, The Predator.

Collider recently had a chance to sit down with Black and discuss his current slate of projects, including The Predator, which is set to start shooting in February. The Predator discussion touched on several key topics that fans of the franchise want to know about - check those out below.

The Rating

Ever since AVP came around to mess with the formula of both the Aliens and Predator franchises, fans worry that studios could push for a PG-13 rating to give the movie wider access to a bigger audience (and more box office returns).

The Predator will be Rated R, which Shane Black said is necessary, since "fans of the Predator generally, probably aren't looking to go to see a PG-13-rated version of it." He also added that Fox has been supportive of that approach.

The Characters

Black was clear in his opinion that the first Predator works in large part because of the humorous banter and general camaraderie between the squad of soldiers/tough guys that are the principal characters. It's actually a keen observation when you consider that subsequent sequels and spinoffs have all lacked that element - possibly why nothing has quite measured up to the quality of the original.

With The Predator, Black says that the ensemble dynamic of the original is something he'll be sticking with - but, "there are at least a couple of factors that we've deliberately chosen to make it not just that group of buff, tough guys."

That comment is sure to get fans speculating. Obviously this isn't the '80s testosterone era of action movies - actresses like Kate Beckinsale and Milla Jovovich now reign over tough guys like Stallone and Schwarzenegger - so Predator would understandably need an upgrade in characterization. Hopefully, we get something better than the thin stereotypes we got in Predators.

The Tone

According to Black, a proper Predator movie should be a cornucopia of things, "it should be scary, I think it should be funny, and I think ultimately it should be wondrous and about perceiving things that human beings very seldom get a chance to see."

The takeaway from that is that we are going to get an actual story rather than a lineup of action sequences. It's why fans have been rather open to this particular (soft) reboot: they have confidence in the creative talent behind it, and the approach that he's taking with the film.

The Predator will be in theaters on February 9, 2018.