The Predator is a 2018 American science fiction action film directed by Shane Black, who co-wrote the script with Fred Dekker.

The film stars Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Yvonne Strahovski, and Sterling K. Brown.

It follows a group of PTSD-afflicted soldiers and a scientist who must team up to fight off an invading pair of Predators and discover their plans for mankind.

Talks of a new Predator installment began in June 2014, with Black being confirmed as writer and director; much of the cast signed on between October 2016 and January 2017.

Filming took place in British Columbia from February to June 2017, with the climax being re-written and re-shot in July 2018 following poor test screenings.

The Predator awakens, breaks out of its restraints, and kills the lab workers and armed guards, but spares Bracket, the only unarmed person, before escaping.

Quinn is bussed off with a group of other captives, including former Marines "Nebraska" Williams, Coyle, Baxley, Lynch, and Army helicopter pilot Nettles.

Taking Bracket with them, they head over to Quinn's estranged wife, Emily, where he unexpectedly finds the Predator armor he'd previously mailed to a PO box.

The Predator takes Rory, assuming his autism as an advancement in human evolution which makes him a worthwhile subject for hybridization, and flies away in his ship.

Later, Quinn and Rory are seen in a science lab watching the opening of cargo found on the Predator's ship, which a scientist indicates was left behind intentionally.

Church, Peter Shinkoda as Dr. Yamada, Lochlyn Munro as Lieutenant General Marks, Nikolas Dukic as Derek, Gabriel LaBelle as E.J., Niall Matter as Sapir, Mike Dopud as Dupree, and Garry Chalk as Postal Worker.

Stuntwoman Breanna Watkins, in scenes that were filmed but not used, portrayed Ellen Ripley in one alternate ending, and an adult Rebecca "Newt" Jorden in a second alternate ending, meant to tie in to the Alien franchise in which those characters first appeared and set up an Alien vs. Predator-focused sequel film, depicted as having travelled back in time as the "Predator Killer".

Shane Black, who also starred as supporting character Rick Hawkins in Predator, directed, and co-wrote with Fred Dekker, while John Davis produced.

[35] In January 2017, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane and Jacob Tremblay joined the cast.

[62] In the United States and Canada, The Predator was released alongside White Boy Rick, A Simple Favor and Unbroken: Path to Redemption, and was projected to gross $25–32 million from 4,037 theaters in its opening weekend.

The website's consensus reads: "The Predator has violence and quips to spare, but its chaotically hollow action adds up to another missed opportunity for a franchise increasingly defined by disappointment.

Club wrote "The Predator, which Black penned with Monster Squad co-writer and director Fred Dekker, makes a few concessions to modern blockbuster filmmaking, including an overabundance of CGI, a blatantly franchise-thirsty ending, and some winking references to the original.

But the movie's values are more 1988 than 2018, and that's what makes it fun, at least in spurts: Black has captured the spirit of that bygone era of adrenaline-junkie junk without getting all retro-fussy about it."

[71] In a negative review, Dennis Harvey of Variety called it "an exhaustingly energetic mess in which a coherent plot and credible characters aren't even on the cluttered menu.

"[72] Writing for Nerdist, Katie Walsh called the film "messy, chaotic, and convoluted", adding that its "comedy and action are at war with each other.

"[73] Jonathan Barkan, writing for Dread Central, gave the film two out of five stars, saying, "Poor story choices and strange, if not outright silly, character decisions result in an experience that will ultimately leave audiences feeling a great amount of 'meh'.

[78] Wilder has been a registered felony sex offender since 2010, when he pleaded guilty to "enticing a minor by computer" after he attempted to lure a 14-year-old girl into a sexual relationship via email.

[79] A few days before picture lock on the film, Munn became aware of Wilder's history and approached Fox executives, insisting that the scene be removed.

[84] Co-star Sterling K. Brown tweeted in support of Munn, but initially, most other actors on the film remained silent, releasing statements after mounting public pressure.

[85][86][87][88] The Predator also suggests not only that autistic persons who exhibit savant qualities and other forms of neurodiversity are or were advantageous, but that they represent a forward step on the human evolutionary path.

[89] A New York Post review ends by stating: "But worse is a plot line involving autism and a dubious scientific theory that will leave parents fuming.

The Predator received a novelization co-written by Christopher Golden and Mark Morris, with the audiobook narrated by James Patrick Cronin.

[92] It also received a prequel novel titled The Predator: Hunters and Hunted written by James A. Moore, the audiobook also narrated by Cronin.

[95] In December 2019, Dan Trachtenberg was announced to be developing a film under the working title of Skulls, with a script from Patrick Aison, set during the American Civil War and following "a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior".