7 movies to watch if you liked ‘The Predator’

The Predator is a sci-fi action thriller from 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Shane Black, with a screenplay he co-wrote with Fred Dekker.

Chronologically, the film plot was placed in between the events of Predator 2 (1990) and Predators (2010). It was the fourth feature film installation directly under the Predator franchise. The film released in theaters just weeks after premiering at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

The Predator (Image via 20th Century Fox)

The film featured an ensemble cast including the likes of Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Olivia Munn, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane, and others in pivotal roles. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it was a great example of keeping true to its legacy. The Predator was a much more extreme and gorier action flick than its predecessors.

For the fans of the franchise, the Predator series is currently developing their latest standalone feature film, Predator: Badlands. While it has not received a release schedule yet, Badlands is expected to arrive before the release of Prey 2, another title from the franchise currently under development.

For the fans of the franchise, or for those who enjoyed watching The Predator, we have the perfect list of movies for you to add to your watchlist right now.

Prey, Pacifim Rim, and 5 other exciting movies to watch if you loved The Predator

1) Prey

Prey is an alien invasion action horror from Hulu. The film was directed by Dan Trachtenberg with a screenplay written by Patrick Aison, from a story the two had developed together over 5 years. The film premiered at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con before arriving on Hulu the next month.

The cast features Amber Midthunder, Dane DiLiegro, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, and others in pivotal roles. Prey, released as the prequel to the Predator film series, is currently the latest installment from the franchise. The film received praise from the critics and audience alike, even being hailed as one of the best under the Predator banner.

The film is set against a backdrop of the Northern Great Plains in 1719 and tells the story of Naru, a young Comanche woman. In a bid to prove her worth as a warrior, she sets off to hunt down a lion that has been threatening her tribe. However, when she crosses paths with a Predator, Naru has to use everything at her disposal to defeat the hunter alien and save her tribe.

2) Predator

Predator is a sci-fi action horror movie from 20th Century Fox. John McTierman directed the movie with a screenplay conceived by the Thomas Brothers, Jim and John. Initially titled Hunter, the film released in theaters in 1987.

The cast featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, and others in central roles. While initial response was mixed, the film gradually picked up pace and was soon hailed among the best films of the decade. The success of the film spawned an entire multi-media franchise with video games, sequel movies, comic book adaptations, and novels.

The film that started it all, Predator, revolves around Schwarzenegger's Major Dutch Schaefer as he takes a team of elite commandos to the Central American jungles on a rescue mission. When they get killed off one by one, the team realizes that they are being hunted by a technologically advanced extraterrestrial hunter. With nothing to lose, Dutch decides to face the threat head on and grapple for the title of the ultimate predator.

Predator can be streamed on Hulu, FuboTV, and FXNow.

3) Alien

Alien is a sci-fi horror thriller movie from 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Ridley Scott with a screenplay written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story he had developed with Ronald Shusett. The film premiered at the 1979 Seattle International Film Festival before releasing in theaters.

The cast featured Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, and Veronica Cartwright in pivotal roles, alongside Bolaji Badejo playing the alien. In its initial run, the film received mixed reviews alongside an Academy Award for the visual effects. However, subsequent years brought it cult status, and Alien is now among one of the most iconic monster franchises.

The film follows the crew of a commercial spaceship as they are woken from stasis and sent to investigate a distress signal from a nearby planet. The team discovers alien eggs in a derelict spaceship, one of which takes birth into a terrifying creature that goes on a killing spree. The crewmates try their best to survive the nightmare and return safely to Earth.

Alien also has had cross-overs with the Predator franchise under the Alien vs. Predator banner. The film can be streamed on Hulu, AppleTV, and Amazon Prime Video.

4) The Meg

The Meg (Image via Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Meg is a sci-fi monster action horror film from Warner Bros. Pictures. John Turteltaub directed the movie with a screenplay written by Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber, and Erich Hoeber, taking inspiration from Steve Alten's 1997 novel, Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror. The film released in theaters in 2018.

The film starred Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Ruby Rose, and others in pivotal roles. The Meg received positive feedback from the critics and the audience, with praise going to its special effects and cast performance. A sequel, Meg 2: The Trench, released in theaters in 2023.

Unlike other titles on this list, The Meg brings to life a prehistoric predator instead of an extraterrestrial threat. The film follows a group of scientists who come across the Megalodon, the largest hunting fish, which was thought to be extinct, while on a deep sea mission in the Mariana Trench.

However, just like The Predator, The Meg also has humans trying to confront a monster beyond their imaginations and come out alive. The Meg is available to stream on FuboTV, VIX, and The Roku Channel.

5) War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds (Image via Paramount Pictures)

War of the Worlds is a sci-fi action thriller from Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg with a screenplay written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp as a cinematic adaptation of H.G. Wells's 1898 novel, The War of the Worlds. The film was released in theaters in 2005.

The cast featured Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin, and Rick Gonzalez, among others, in pivotal roles. War of the Worlds received widely positive feedback from the audience and critics for its fidelity to the source material and the modernized way of recreating Wells's story.

The film follows Ray Ferrier, a dockworker, as he desperately tries to keep his children safe during a sudden alien invasion on Earth. In an attempt to reunite his family and keep them from any harm, Ferrier navigates a world riddled with alien war machines bent on harvesting human beings.

War of the Worlds is a great watch for those who liked The Predator. While the former is an all-out war between two species, the latter is more of a hunt where only the strong survive. War of the Worlds is available to stream on Paramount+.

6) Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim is a sci-fi kaiju action film from Warner Bros. Pictures. Guillermo Del Toro directed the film, with a screenplay he wrote alongside Travis Beacham. The film released in theaters in 2013.

The cast featured Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, and others in pivotal roles. On its release, Pacific Rim was a favorite among the international audience, while its performance in the U.S. could have been better. The kind of success it received spawned a sequel and a series picked up by Universal Pictures and Netflix.

Pacific Rim pits humanity in a war for survival against Kaijus, interdimensional beasts emerging through a portal in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. To fight these colossal threats, humanity created the Jaegers—large humanoid mechas. The film revolves around the war that ensues.

Pacific Rim is available to stream on FuboTV.

7) Arrival

Arrival is a sci-fi mystery drama offering from Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Denis Villeneuve, with a screenplay Eric Heisserer wrote based on Ted Chiang's 1998 short story, Story of Your Life. The film premiered at the 2016 Venice Film Festival before releasing widely in theaters a month later.

The film starred Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma, Mark O'Brian, and others in pivotal roles. It was a favorite among the critics and audiences alike, even being hailed amongst the best films of the year. The film also received numerous prestigious accolades, including multiple nominations under the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and more.

Arguably the most odd title on this list, Arrival follows the arrival of multiple mysterious alien spacecrafts across the world. In an attempt to communicate with the extraterrestrials, humanity recruits linguists who gradually decipher their language and uncover the reason for their visit.

While Arrival is starkly different from The Predator, it offers a different outlook on the human-alien interaction compared to the predator-prey dynamics. Arrival is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Freevee.

These were our top picks of movies that you can add to your watchlist if you liked The Predator.

For fans of the Predator franchise, a new feature-length film is currently in development under the title Predator: Badlands.

Edited by Somava