Comanche Nation vs. 'Predator' - Movie Preview
By: Sandra Hale Schulman (Indian Country Today)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
'Prey,' the latest movie in the 'Predator' film franchise, premiers in August and will be released in full Comanche language
- Author: Sandra Hale Schulman
- Publish date: Jun 12, 2022
The "Prey" movie starts streaming in August on Hulu. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
'Prey,' the latest movie in the 'Predator' film franchise, premiers in August and will be released in full Comanche language
Sandra Hale Schulman
Special to ICT
Comanche warriors face off against a terrifying - and invisible - monster in the new film, "Prey."
Using a cast comprised of Native American and First Nation talent, "Prey," a new prequel movie of the "Predator" film franchise, travels back 300 years in the past to Plains territory where a technology advanced alien terrorizes the Comanche Nation.
The last time the Predator battled a Native person on screen was in the series original.
Sonny Landham, Seminole and Cherokee, played the Native tracker character Billy in 1987's "Predator" alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Central American rainforest battle by a militarized force. Unfortunately, Billy couldn't stop the alien.
But, perhaps, this time the Native people do.
The "Prey" movie starts streaming in August on Hulu. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
Director Dan Trachtenberg reached out to a citizen of the Comanche Nation to help better understand and portray the Comanche people in the movie. Trachtenberg directed "10 Cloverfield Lane" and "The Boys."
"The film was an idea I had so I reached out to the Comanche Nation to ensure authenticity. That's when I connected with Jhane Myers," Trachtenberg said to Indian Country Today by Zoom.
Myers, an acclaimed filmmaker, Sundance Fellow and citizen of the Comanche Nation, is known for her dedication to films surrounding the Comanche and Blackfeet nations.
With her input, the film features a cast comprised almost entirely of Native and First Nation's talent, including Amber Midthunder ("The Ice Road," "Roswell, New Mexico"), newcomer Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp ("Sooyii"), Michelle Thrush ("The Journey Home"), and Julian Black Antelope ("Tribal").
"This film will be released in full Comanche language with screenings on their lands," Myers said by Zoom. "That's the first time that has ever been done. "Star Wars" was dubbed in Navajo, but it took 30 years for them to do that."
"It's sci-fi but the look is true to the times, true to Comanche location, language and regalia," Trachtenberg says.
A trailer has been released and it shows Midthunder as Naru. She is described as "a fierce and highly skilled warrior" who was "raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains," according to the Disney plot description. She sees signs in the clouds that tell her she is ready to hunt bears, stalking them by rivers with her dog.
But then hunting takes a dark turn.
Naru sets out to protect her people against a dangerous threat, which turns out to be a Yautja, the species of alien historically referred to as Predators.
Naru races through the woods into an open field when another Comanche with black paint smeared across his eyes, pulls her down to take cover.
He has spotted something moving menacingly beyond the tree line, but unfortunately, that something has also spotted them. He draws and pulls an arrow while mysterious red laser dots appear on his forehead. Fans of the series will recognize the laser from past movies.
The "Prey" movie starts streaming in August on Hulu. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
The "Prey" movie starts streaming in August on Hulu. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
Midthunder is a citizen of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribe. Known for her series regular roles in the FX series "Legion," and The CW series "Roswell, New Mexico," she has also appeared on "Longmire" and "Banshee." Her father is David Midthunder, a successful actor with 60 on-screen credits. Her mother, Angelique Midthunder, is a casting director.
"Prey" (otherwise known as "Predator 5") is the fifth installment in the Predator franchise, and is considered a prequel to the first four films.
The film began development during the production of the previous "Predator" film, titled "The Predator" (2018). Trachtenberg had the concept he had been working on since 2016.
By December 2019, the film was started and was under wraps, going by the codename of "Skulls" for a fifth installment in the franchise, with some of the same creative team. Other than the alien creature it does not correlate to the events of the previous films.
The Comanche were picked for their history and location, they are from the Southern Plains, now a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma. Their language is of the Aztecan family, originally a Shoshoni dialect.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Comanche lived in present-day northwest Texas and spread into New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Chihuahua, Mexico. Spanish colonists and Mexicans called their historical territory Comancheria.
The Comanche were a nomadic horse culture, primarily hunting bison. When White settlers moved in on their territory, the Comanche waged war and raided their settlements.
Decimated by European diseases and war, most Comanche were forced to live on reservations by the 1860s and 1870s.
Today, the Comanche Nation has 17,000 citizens, around 7,000 of whom reside in areas around Lawton.
"Prey" will stream exclusively as a Hulu original on Aug. 5.
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I've never seen any of the ''Predator'' series but this does look interesting to me (obviously). The Commanche is also known as the ''Lords of the Plains'' were great horsemen and breeders of horses.
The film will be released in the Commanche language which is probably a first.
I wonder what Quanah Paker would think about this.
It would be cool if they really depict this aspect of who the Comanche were.
The trailer shows her hunting in dense woods. I think the Comanche range included portions of Colorado and New Mexico, where you might find some big woods, but when I think Comanche territory, I think scrub brush, fields, maybe some stands of trees lining creeks and rivers, something you might see in the heart of where the Comanche ranged. I read that they filmed in Canada. Seems you'd want to go to where the story allegedly takes place to shoot, especially considering that that place is generally wide open and free from heavy populations.
I think Quanah Parker would appreciate the nod to the Comanche. Let's see how the movie portrays the Comanche. My gut tells me that, as with almost everything else hollywood, the true essence is missed. So, on that end, he might be a little miffed.
As an aside, in the previous movies, we've seen modern people battling with a predator. I like the idea of taking this back to a time when the targets are more in tune with their surroundings and nature. The Comanche wouldn't be soft targets.
The upside is that the cast is Native, which is unusual so it might depict the Comanche in natural light.
Most of their territory was plains but there were some heavily wooded areas generally speaking they are associated with the plains/flat lands. It was filmed in Calgary, Alberta Canada and that is where the plains of Canada are.
The movie shows them as warriors and that part is quite accurate. The Comanche were a very powerful warrior tribe.
As well as what Kavika stated it is also cheaper to film in Canada rather than the US (lots of shows/movies have done so)
I'm sure it's beautiful, and a reason they chose to shoot there. But, although I haven't been there, I doubt it looks like the plains where the Comanche ranged. Just an observation, as far as "why not shoot it here" when there are as many picturesque spots to choose from, and in the actual range of the Comanche. This is in the article. "The Comanche were picked for their history and location..." The rest of that thought is apparently, "but we decided to shoot this in Canada."
Good thing; otherwise, it might be a short film. In all seriousness, as I said, I like the choice to show the Predator hunting someone that has an awareness and understanding that, let's face it, we generally don't have anymore.
Let's hope it is an enjoyable movie.
Actually, it's quite similar, the other reason could be that it is less expensive to film in Canada.
Dammit...
I did see the director also directs "The Boys", which is shot in Canada. Not for everyone, but I do like The Boys.
Well shit. I bet they don't have any western diamondbacks though. After reading your post, I did google some Alberta geology. Who knew? The Hoodoo Badlands look pretty damn cool.
They have the venomous prairie rattler though.
The Hoodoo Badlands are very cool.
Looking forward to this movie
It's going to be on Hulu. I have Prime and Netflex soooo I might have to get Hulu as well.
Damn it, I hate this streaming BS, they nickel and dime you for everything.
In a year or two, they will bundle streaming services, so that you can get everything you want for one subscription price. Of course, you'll have to take a bunch of crap that you don't want also, which is going to raise the monthly price...it'll be like cable...all over again.
I can see that. Internet bundle packages...We will be in the same boat, just online.
I think that you are correct on that, T Rex.
I've been looking forward to this since the first teaser trailer. A full trailer came out last week...
I found it quite interesting that it will debut in the Comanche language.
The face paint colors used by natives all have a meaning. Not sure what the black signifies for the Comanche but for Ojibwe black and red signify war and death.
On another site we were trying to get confirmation on how they were presenting these and we think it will be dubbed in Comanche where they are speaking English. I'm planning on doing a re-watch after my first time to watch it in Comanche.
One of the posters has Midthunder with the glow-in-the-dark Predator blood as face paint.
Okay, I can get down with that.
I do love me some Predator & his fishnet stockings....
Yes, those.
Sexy as hell....
Could blow me.... no wait, can't.
I know, I am going to sound like that guy -------->
but...
The young woman is beautiful. She is gorgeous.
Verrry interesting. As long as I can turn on the subtitles, lol.
I think... the Comanche is a dub option. Per the trailer the movie is mostly in English.
I am sure it will be dubbed in Comanche since there are very few speakers of the Comanche language.
The real name of the Comanche is Nʉmʉnʉʉ and translates to ''The People''.
As a side note, most names of tribes are the European version and it rarely is what the tribe's real names are. We, the Ojibwe are also known by Chippewa are really the Anishinaabe which translates to the ''original or first people''.
Ojibwe is from the French and Chippewa is from the English because they couldn't pronounce Ojibwe.
Actually on one confused evening setting up Peacock for football, I somehow turned on subtitles in English.
Very helpful for some of the Star Trek series. Also entertaining.
We often look at each other when the subtitle says
"doors swooshing" or "unintelligible announcements on the ship wide system", "rats scurrying"
"intense music"
and we hear 'nothing'.
Other times the subtitles are so far off, they are the source of comic relief.
Peacock is actually free, for those that don't know.
Thanks, I didn't know that.
I'm paying an odd number for it, either $4.51 or $5.41
just to catch a few USFL football games and reruns.
There is a free basic plan. More content is available with the Premier Plan for $4.99 and then an Add Free add-on for $5.00.
In Predator 2 if you put the subtitles on you get things the Predator says - like when they are trying to trap him in the meat packing plant - it says something like "Now you die" on the subtitles, but it is unintelligible without them.
I signed up for it. I don't really watch it that much. For free though, what the hell.
This actually looks pretty good. Damnit, I don't want to join a streaming service! Haha
Do a 30 day free trial.
I do have the app on my tv.
i agree
What it was going to look like.....I think if they went with design it would not have been a blockbuster and more like a spoof....
good god, i could not take that seriously. Maybe that is because i already know what the predator looks like, but still, dumb.
I totally missed this one. Six part series entitled ''Dark Winds'' from the book by Tony Hillerman (one of my favorite authors).
Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, Navajo tribal police are back at it in another phycological thriller.
Very interesting first episode. Mystical.
I taped it so we can watch it again. Lot's of subplots.
I will check this out.
Having seen all the other Predator movies (the first by far being the best) I will watch this one as well. My only hope is that they throw back to the "hunter" aspect of it and don't just fall back on alien tech and gore to replace a plot.
Dark Winds review: A pulpy detective thriller with a stellar cast (msn.com)
The wife and I saw this yesterday and we both thought it was pretty good. It was beautifully shot, well acted and nicely directed. If I have any complaints, its that the predatory animals (rattlesnake, wolf and bear) were all CGI and I could tell. It definitely gets a solid 8 out of 10.
That's good to hear, EG. Too bad about the CGI though.
I've seen a lot worse CGI in bigger budgeted movies.