Prey (2022): Cast, Characters, And Lore

Prey was a science fiction action film directed by Dan Trachtenberg that served as a prequel to the Predator franchise. Set in 1719, the story followed Naru, a young Comanche hunter determined to prove herself, who discovered that something far more dangerous than any natural predator had entered her homeland. As she tracked the threat across the Great Plains, Naru gradually realized she was facing an advanced alien hunter studying and testing the creatures around it. The film returned to a stripped-down survival structure while expanding Predator lore by showing one of the earliest known hunts on Earth.

Film Overview

Released in 2022, Prey took the franchise in a different direction by setting the story centuries before the modern-era films. Instead of soldiers or mercenaries, the central characters were Comanche hunters living on the Great Plains. The Predator's arrival disrupted the balance between humans, wildlife, and the land, turning a traditional hunt into a fight for survival. The film emphasized tracking, observation, and adaptation, mirroring the tone of the original 1987 movie while presenting a new cultural and historical setting. By focusing on a single hunter learning how to defeat the Predator, Prey returned to the core idea that intelligence and patience mattered more than firepower.

Plot Summary

The story followed Naru, a skilled tracker who wanted to become a hunter like the warriors of her tribe. While others underestimated her, she continued studying the behavior of animals and refining her techniques. Strange signs soon appeared across the plains, including skinned animals, missing hunters, and unusual tracks. Naru believed a new predator had entered the territory and set out to find it.

The alien hunter, later identified as the Feral Predator, began testing itself against increasingly dangerous prey. The Yautja hunted wolves, a bear, and eventually human targets, observing how each opponent fought. Unlike later Predators, this hunter relied on more primitive but still advanced weapons, including a shield, bolt launcher, and wrist blades. As the creature escalated its hunt, Naru realized she needed to understand how it saw the world in order to defeat it.

After surviving encounters with trappers and the Predator itself, Naru used her knowledge of the terrain and the creature's technology to set a trap. She weakened the Predator, manipulated its targeting system, and forced it into its own line of fire. The final confrontation ended with Naru killing the hunter and returning to her tribe with the head of the Feral Predator. Her victory finally established her as a respected warrior among the male-dominated tribe. The final credit scene hinted that Predator ships soon arrived, and possibly hunted or kidnapped Naru.

Main Cast And Characters

Prey focused on a smaller cast than most Predator films, with the story centered on Naru, her brother, and the people around them.

• Naru (Amber Midthunder) - Comanche tracker determined to prove herself as a hunter and the film's central protagonist.
• Taabe (Dakota Beavers) - Naru's brother and skilled hunter who became war chief and fought the Predator directly.
• Raphael Adolini (Bennett Taylor) - French trapper who helped Naru and connected the story to the Raphael Adolini pistol.
• War Chief Kehetu (Julian Black Antelope) - Tribal leader who oversaw the hunting party and supported Taabe.
• Itsee (Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat) - Young tribesman who joined the early hunt with Naru.
• Puhi (Nelson Leis) - French trapper leader responsible for capturing Naru.
• Big Beard (Mike Paterson) - Large French trapper killed during the Predator attack.
• Sumu (Stefany Mathias) - Comanche woman who interacted with Naru and witnessed the early stages of the hunt.
• Aruka (Michelle Thrush) - Naru and Taabe's mother who worried about Naru's safety.
• Wasape (Stormee Kipp) - Comanche hunter who joined Taabe's war party searching for the Predator.
• Weetu (Dane Bowman) - Young tribesman who participated in the search for the missing hunters.
• French Trapper Translator (Bennett Taylor) - Injured trapper who communicated with Naru before revealing the Predator threat.
• The Feral Predator (Dane DiLiegro) - Early Predator hunter that arrived on Earth and stalked prey across the Great Plains.
• Sarii (Coco) - Naru's loyal dog and hunting companion that assisted her throughout the hunt.

Naru

Naru became one of the franchise's most distinctive protagonists. Unlike earlier leads who relied on heavy weapons or military training, she depended on observation, tracking, and adaptability. Her character arc focused on learning from each encounter rather than overpowering the Predator. This approach echoed Dutch Schaefer's final confrontation in the original film, where intelligence and preparation determined the outcome. Naru's victory reinforced the idea that the Predator respected skill rather than strength alone.

The Feral Predator

Prey introduced a new Predator variant commonly referred to as the Feral Predator. This hunter appeared more primitive and animalistic than later movie Predators, with a leaner build and a bone-like mask. Its technology also looked less refined, suggesting an earlier period in Predator history. His different face can be explained by the Predator originating from a different region of Yautja Prime.

A Hunt In 1719

By setting the story in 1719, Prey showed that Predators had been visiting Earth for centuries. The absence of modern technology forced both sides to rely on skill and strategy. This created a more grounded and suspenseful hunt compared to some later franchise entries. The environment itself also became a major part of the conflict, with tall grass, forests, and rivers shaping how the Predator moved. The historical setting gave the film a fresh identity while still fitting naturally into established lore.

Comanche Perspective

Prey stood out by telling the story from a Comanche perspective. The Predators have hunted Native Americans before, and there might even exist a spiritual connection between them. The characters' knowledge of the land, hunting traditions, and survival skills shaped how they responded to the alien threat. This approach made the Predator feel like an intruder disrupting an established natural order. It also allowed the film to explore the hunt in a quieter and more deliberate way. There physical release of the film includes a version where the characters speak Comanche, with English subtitles.

Weapons And Technology

The Feral Predator used a mix of familiar and new equipment, but no plasma weaponry. Its Yautja arsenal included wrist blades, a bolt-firing weapon, cloaking technology, and a deployable shield. These tools felt less advanced than those seen in later films but still deadly. Naru countered them using improvised traps, terrain advantages, and her own weapons. This balance between primitive tools and advanced technology helped define the film's tone.

The Raphael Adolini Connection

Prey also connected directly to Predator 2 through the appearance of the Raphael Adolini 1715 flintlock pistol. In the film, Naru obtained the weapon from a wounded French trapper named Raphael Adolini, who taught her how to load it using the phrase "not too little, not too much". She later used the pistol during her confrontation with the Feral Predator, shooting the creature in the head before ultimately killing it with its own targeting weapon. After the battle, Naru kept both the Predator's head and the pistol as trophies, implying that the weapon later entered Predator possession. This moment effectively redefined the origin of the flintlock pistol that Greyback presented to Mike Harrigan at the end of Predator 2, confirming that Predators had encountered humans and taken trophies from Earth centuries earlier.

Production

Prey was directed by Dan Trachtenberg and written by Patrick Aison. The film starred Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, and Dane DiLiegro. It was filmed with a strong emphasis on natural environments, practical action, and a grounded survival tone, with little CGI. The production deliberately avoided large-scale spectacle in favor of a focused hunt between two skilled opponents. The score was composed by Sarah Schachner, whose music successfully blended orchestral elements with tribal percussion and didn't just reuse the old Predator theme.

Legacy

Prey quickly gained a strong reputation among fans and critics. Its stripped-down story, historical setting, and emphasis on strategy were often seen as a return to what made the original Predator effective. The film introduced the Feral Predator and confirmed that the species had hunted on Earth centuries earlier. It also proved that the franchise could explore new time periods without losing its identity. For many viewers, Prey became one of the strongest Predator films since the original.

Tag Categories: Predator Movies