By Up to now, Dan Trachtenberg’s track record with the Predator franchise has been astonishingly impressive. Indeed, between Prey, blood-stained animation Predator: Killer of Killers, and Predator: Badlands, we’d assert it’s been nearly immaculate. Nonetheless, it appears that in the instance of Trachtenberg’s most recent endeavor with the Yautja who cast someone as the protagonist of the film, things weren’t flawless during the initial attempt.
During a discussion with Screen Rant, Weta FX’s VFX Supervisor Sheldon Stopsack and Animation Supervisor Karl Rapley disclosed that for the film’s ultimate confrontation between Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) and his father, Njohrr (Reuben de Jong), the original skirmish appeared considerably different and concluded much sooner.
“Dek arrives, his father is present, there’s a swift exchange of hits, and Dek essentially tosses some sand from the earth, which unveils Father’s cloak,” recounted Rapley. “Then they just engage, Father pivots, and his arm drops off. And it was impressive!”
However, following test screenings that showcased the climactic duel, Trachtenberg recognized that adjustments were necessary. Consequently, the Weta team opted to render the father an even more formidable opponent, yet one whom Dek could conquer due to the lessons learned during his time away from home. “We were experimenting with the antics of the ship and the sand, like the jets stirring up the sand and uncovering the cloak that way. While prevising that, we provided some really expansive shots to evoke this Western sundown moment. It was fantastic; I relished that obstacle.”
Trachtenberg was entirely supportive of the new trajectory the battle was taking, advocating for more sand in the clash. This decision emphasized the signature cloak that Predators are renowned for, which ultimately became Dek’s real trophy by the film’s conclusion.
“It’s a style that I commend Dan for selecting because there are individuals who often express, ‘I want to see my protagonist and antagonist. I want to observe the clarity. I need to witness the brawl,’” clarified Stopsack. “And Dan was like, ‘Nah, I don’t want to see them. I merely want to observe silhouettes. I just want to delve deep into the chaos.”