Get to the chopper, because Dutch may finally be coming back! Arnold Schwarzenegger has confirmed he is working on a new Predator movie that would bring him back as Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer, nearly four decades after the original film hit theaters in 1987.
Schwarzenegger shared the news during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, and it marks the first time he has publicly acknowledged being part of a new Predator film.
What Arnold Schwarzenegger Said
While promoting his new holiday movie, Kimmel asked Schwarzenegger about sequels to some of his most famous films. Schwarzenegger confirmed he is working on new Predator, Commando and Conan the Barbarian projects, but said they will not move forward until the scripts are right.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the scripts because that’s where the action is. What’s not on the page is not on the stage,” he explained, according to Yahoo Entertainment. “So I’m just waiting for the scripts to get perfected and then we go and start shooting those things.”
There is no director, release date or official studio announcement yet, so this one is still early. But hearing it from Arnold himself is a big deal for fans who have been waiting decades.
Why This Is Such a Big Deal for Predator Fans
Dutch has only appeared in one live action Predator movie, the 1987 original. As MovieWeb notes, Schwarzenegger famously turned down roles in Predator 2, Predators and The Predator, even as the studio kept trying to bring him back.
The door finally opened with the animated Predator: Killer of Killers, which premiered on Hulu. A bonus scene released after the movie revealed that Dutch is alive and being held in stasis on the Predator home world, setting the stage for his return.
According to World of Reel, Schwarzenegger has also talked with Predator director Dan Trachtenberg about bringing Dutch back for real. Trachtenberg, who directed Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands, has since signed on to direct a new Disney film inspired by Sleeping Beauty, so it is not yet clear who would direct Dutch’s return.
The Disney Connection
Predator is part of 20th Century Studios, which has been part of Disney since 2019. That means a new Dutch movie would be a Disney release, and the franchise already has a home on Hulu, where Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers premiered.
You can read more about Trachtenberg’s next project in our post on Prey Director Dan Trachtenberg Set to Direct New Disney Film Inspired by Sleeping Beauty.
What About Commando 2 and King Conan?
Schwarzenegger has been talking about a return to Conan for a while, and earlier this year he called King Conan his version of Unforgiven. A Commando 2 script also exists, but like the Predator project, both are waiting on finished scripts before cameras roll.
In the meantime, Schwarzenegger stars in the holiday comedy The Man with the Bag with Alan Ritchson, coming to Prime Video on December 2.
Would you want to see Arnold back as Dutch? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to The Main Street Mouse for more movie news!
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