Naru's Predator Future Gets New Update From Star As Dan Trachtenberg Builds New Franchise Plans

Published Oct 1, 2026, 3:13 PM EDT Grant Hermanns is a TV News Editor, Interview Host and Reviewer for ScreenRant, having joined the team in early 2021. He got his start in the industry with Moviepilot, followed by working at ComingSoon.net. When not indulging in his love of film/TV, Grant is making his way through his gaming backlog and exploring the world of Dungeons & Dragons with friends. EXCLUSIVE: Amber Midthunder is ready for the call to return as Naru in Predator. Midthunder made her debut in the sci-fi action franchise with the 2022 prequel Prey, starring as Naru, a Comanche woman who, while vying to establish herself as a worthy warrior, suddenly finds herself fighting a Yautja that is killing everyone in her vicinity. Though a proper Prey 2 has yet to get made, the character did subtly return for Dan Trachtenberg's two Predator follow-ups, Killer of Killers and Badlands, with the former revealing her to be a prisoner in suspended animation on Yautja Prime. Now, in an interview with ScreenRant's Grant Hermanns for her work on Mike Flanagan's Carrie series, Midthunder was asked about having had any recent talks with Trachtenberg about her Predator future. The star chuckled as she acknowledged that "Naru's future belongs in the hands of Dan Trachtenberg," before going on to reflect on the nature of an actor being "the guardian that stands at their gate" for a character when they're playing them, but is then "ultimately up to the writer and the director and all the powers that be" whether they will get to return: Amber Midthunder: I love both of these characters, and I would love to play them more, and none of it is up to me, unfortunately. But obviously, both of these guys [Mike Flanagan and Dan Trachtenberg], I love them both so much. I love Dan as a filmmaker and a storyteller, and I love what he's doing with the Predator franchise. I loved Killer of Killers, I loved Badlands, so I think that whatever his plans are for the world as a whole, I'm excited to see, and I know that there couldn't be more trustworthy hands. Talks of a Prey 2 immediately began swirling when the first film not only became the best-reviewed installment in the Predator franchise at the time, but also broke multiple viewership records for Hulu. Midthunder has frequently confirmed her interest in returning, and there were reports in early 2024 that the sequel had properly entered the early stages of development with the star in negotiations. However, it was also stated at the time that 20th Century Studios was still putting their focus on Trachtenberg's third film, Predator: Badlands. That shift in focus did end up working out somewhat for the seventh film in the sci-fi action franchise, as it not only became the third-best-reviewed installment in the series, but also became the highest-grossing Predator movie yet. However, with it also being the most expensive of all seven movies, its production budget clocking in at a reported $105 million figure, it's also unclear how 20th Century is looking at its $184 million gross, given movies tend to require 2.5 times their budget to break even. Though Naru's appearance in the film was more of an Easter egg than a direct return, Predator: Badlands' ending did seem to be part of an overarching storyline Trachtenberg feels to be building to with his films. As previously noted, Killer of Killers ended with Midthunder's character and multiple other legacy characters being trapped in suspended animation on Yautja Prime, while Badlands pointed to Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi's Dek rising to power on the planet after surviving Genna, only to prepare for a confrontation with his mother. With Dek essentially building his own clan with non-Predator members, it's possible he could be the instrument to aid in Naru's escape. Trachtenberg's first-look deal with Paramount did raise some questions about what his Predator future held, as well as the aforementioned plans for Prey 2 and beyond. However, he did previously confirm to ScreenRant that the deal would be a simultaneous thing and that he was still "in the zone of dreaming up more" for the franchise, and with Midthunder still clearly keen to return, Naru's biggest stories may yet be told in the future. Video Game(s) Predator: Hunting Grounds, Predator: Concrete Jungle First Film Predator Cast Carl Weathers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Peter Hall, Peter Cullen, Derek Mears, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins, Françoise Yip, Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers Created by Jim Thomas, John Thomas Movie(s) Predator, Predator 2, Predators, Predator, Prey Predator is an action sci-fi franchise created by Jim and John Thomas, beginning with the original film released in 1987. The franchise follows a warrior alien race known as the Yautja who travel the far reaches of space looking for worthy prey to hunt, constantly bringing them to Earth due to the sheer amount of conflict harbored on it. The series has spun off into comic books and animated features and has even enjoyed several crossover events via film and video games with the Aliens franchise.