As excited as everyone is for Shane Black (THE NICE GUYS) to tackle a new PREDATOR movie, fans were just as let down to see Benicio del Toro NOT take part. The latest word on the street regarding the leading role was that Boyd Holdbrook, of Narcos fame, was being signed up. Our own Eric Walkuski recently had the opportunity to chat with Shane Black and the writer/director was game for dropping a few delicious crumbs of information regarding the film's script, it's leading role and it's sequel/reboot status. Take a look!
Shane Black regarding the script for THE PREDATOR
We've got a solid script, but I like to say it's a living document, to the extent that we haven't cast anybody yet. And when we cast it's going to have new voices to add to it.
Whether or not he considers THE PREDATOR a reboot or a sequel:
I think it has to stand on its own two feet, but our goal is to make sure it acknowledges that, yeah, it is 30 years later in the continuity of the story. In other words, Dutch Schaefer's patrol, which was attacked and largely slaughtered, happened 30 years ago in the context of the story. It's referenced, it's part of the mythology. In that way, it's more of a sequel than a reboot.
Regarding Boyd Holbrook as the film's lead:
I hope so. By an act of god, that's the way it seems to be headed. It's quite good news. With Benicio [del Toro] and the scheduling, we just couldn't make it work. We have a release date and we had to start much later than we wanted to. This way, the silver lining is this kid, who I've spent some time with now, he's just marvelous, he's amazing.
Shane Black has proved himself as great writer of action and witty dialogue, but as a director, he's also done a bang-up job in casting. There's few people who might have thought to team up Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, or Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer (KISS KISS BANG BANG), but those films boast some wonderful actors that have great chemistry together. On paper, Holbook may seem to be a "lesser" choice than del Toro, but I have complete faith that Black will choose the right people for THE PREDATOR. I mean, Holbrook's not exactly Topher Grace.
THE PREDATOR is scheduled to hit theaters on February 9, 2018.