The Predator delayed until September 14th?

Shane Black's The Predator hasn't had the easiest of marketing campaigns thus far. First, we had the reboot/sequel mix up, followed by plot leaks and location snaps, then cast interviews, promotional posters, and news of reshoots. Now we bring you news that The Predator has once again had its release date moved. Initially, it was to be released March 2nd, then February 9th, and then August 3rd. Courtesy of Exhibitor Relations, it now appears The Predator will not be released until September 14th, 2018.

When considering that the movies three weeks of reshoots are set to commence March 12th, this new release should give the production team enough time to wrap up post-production. The reshoot themselves are not necessarily something to worry about on their own, but taking into context that the movie was recently test screened (to a mixed reception), from footage taken during principal photography, which finished June 2017, it would seem as though producers in charge of the franchise, such as John Davis may now be listening to the concerns and criticisms of the fans rather than the spin and reassurances of Black and his production team.

Here at Scified we are as split on this movie as the audience was at the test screening. Whereas Chris is optimistic that director Black and screenwriter Fred Dekker (RoboCop3) will deliver a worthwhile sequel, I am more pessimistic and realistic. While it is true that Black helped develop the script for the first movie while also starring in it as Private Hawkins. his filmography as a screenwriter and director since is a mixed bag of successes and failures. This together with the recycling of ideas evident in The Predator and the movies rumored lighter tone worries me that Black has missed the whole point of what a Predator movie should be, and could be if given a little due care and attention.

Article art courtesy of Yvan Quinet.