Hulu isn’t the first place most fans of the Predator franchise would think about opting for the latest installment in the sci-fi franchise. After all, the previous four entries – six including the Alien vs Predator crossover films – created exclusively in theaters. But 2022 Prey is a hit for the streamer – and the dog in the film has become a star.
The ‘Predator’ prequel is a hit with fans and critics
When Prey was announced, some fans were surprised by the decision to make such a drastic change to the long-running franchise. Every previous Predator movie was set roughly in the modern era (or even the near future). But Prey takes place hundreds of years even before the original 1987 film. In the end, this might have been the break from lore the series needed.
With Amber Midthunder, Prey received almost universal fame. The film enjoys a 93% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. And it got a record number of viewers for Hulu, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Thus, the film is a success by virtually any metric. But even fans who tuned in probably didn’t expect to see a new star in Coco, the dog who plays Naru’s (Midthunder) dog Sarii.
‘Prey’ features a stage stealing performance by a dog
For much of Prey, Sarii joins Naru as she tracks down and hunts the Predator, wreaking havoc near her village. Coco therefore has one of the most important roles in the film. But shortly before her breakout role, she was a shelter dog.
Fulton County Animal Services in Atlanta recently took to social media to reveal Coco entered the facility in early 2021 before heading into showbiz. Prey marks the dog’s film debut, courtesy of his adoptive family, who work in the entertainment industry.
“We are SO thrilled that Coco has found the life she has and is now shining a light on the potential of shelter dogs and what they are capable of when given a chance.”
Fulton County Animal Services via Facebook
Midthunder is equally enthusiastic about her Prey co-starred.
“I love this dog with all my heart and soul,” the actor told FreshFiction.tv. “It was tough. They had her two months before this movie. She had so much energy… A big part of being around Coco was that she was going wild and doing tricks and so excited to see everyone all the time. For me, personally, she was a dream – to make a movie, you know. The character of Sarii is very different from the character of Coco. It shows what a good filmmaker is Dan [Trachtenberg] is.”
‘Prey’ is the most successful ‘Predator’ movie in decades
Audiences Appreciate a Solid Animal Acting Performance, But Coco’s New Fame Isn’t Even the Most Remarkable Thing About Prey. The sci-fi movie — directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) – single-handedly revived a franchise that had long struggled to find a new direction. No doubt it is the first widely adopted Predator film since Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the series.
1990s Predator 22010s predatorsand 2018 The predator attempted spins on the premise of man versus creature. However, none captured the essence of director John McTiernan (die hard) original. By completely changing the setting to something so different from what came before, Prey has fans hoping to see the Predator land on Earth at different times in history. Time will tell if that happens.
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