Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Sci-Fi Classic Predator Got a Sequel Story 35 Years Ago That Most Fans Likely Missed

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Fans are getting ready for the return of the terrifying alien from the classic sci-fi series on November 7, 2025. The new movie, directed by Dan Trachtenberg (who directed *Prey*), stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. This is the seventh film in the main series, which began in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger, or the ninth if you include the *Alien vs. Predator* movies. The story has even expanded beyond the films into comic books.

The first official continuation of the original *Predator* movie wasn’t another film, but a four-issue comic book series called *Predator: Concrete Jungle* (it’s different from a 2005 video game with the same name!). Written by Mark Verheiden with art by Chris Warner and Ron Randall, the comic was published by Dark Horse Comics between 1989 and 1990. It expanded on the story of the creature – later known as a Yautja – in ways that surprised audiences when it first came out.

Predator: Concrete Jungle First Brought The Creature To The City

After loving the original *Predator*, I was really excited for the sequel that came out in the fall of 1990. It was cool to see the Predator move from the Guatemalan jungle to a totally new hunting ground – a completely different environment than the first movie!

The follow-up film, directed by Stephen Hopkins, jumps ahead seven years to Los Angeles, where a severe heat wave is baking the city. Lieutenant Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover) is already dealing with a violent conflict between Colombian and Jamaican drug gangs when he discovers an even bigger danger: the Predator. But this isn’t the first time the creature has hunted in a city; it previously had urban adventures in a film called *Predator: Concrete Jungle*.

The storyline of the Dark Horse comic closely mirrors that of *Predator 2*, leading many to believe the film directly inspired the series. However, this story unfolds in present-day New York City, amidst a severe heatwave and violence stemming from Colombian drug gangs. Surprisingly, these gangs team up with the police to fight off an invasion of alien creatures. Later, about halfway through *Predator: Concrete Jungle*, the story shifts back to a real jungle when the main character investigates a connection between the alien and his brother, who disappeared during a special forces mission in Central America.

Instead Of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, The Hero Is His Brother

The animated series *Predator: Concrete Jungle* may have paved the way for *Predator 2* by showing the franchise could continue even without Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch. Initially, the plan was to have Dutch, now a New York City detective after retiring from special forces, as the main character. However, the story was later changed to feature Dutch’s brother, John, instead.

Had the comic book series *Predator: Concrete Jungle* been adapted into a film, it could have offered a way for Arnold Schwarzenegger to return to the *Predator* universe without playing the same character, Dutch. The comic’s protagonist, John Schaeffer, is heavily based on Schwarzenegger’s likeness – he’d practically be his brother if he had blonde hair.

Schaeffer became a regular character in Dark Horse Comics’ *Predator* series, repeatedly encountering the Yautja in new stories, often alongside his fellow police officer, Detective Errol G. Rasche. Despite these encounters, his primary goal wasn’t to hunt the alien creatures, but to locate his younger brother or sister.

Predator: Concrete Jungle Spawned Two Direct Sequels

Just like Dark Horse Comics did with other properties, *Predator: Concrete Jungle*, the 1982 sci-fi film starring Kurt Russell, was intended to launch a series of comics continuing the story of the original *Predator* movie.

As a big fan, I was thrilled to see that the initial limited series wasn’t the end of the story! Mark Verheiden continued writing, and Ron Randall returned for the artwork on two follow-up comics. Just like Dark Horse did with their *The Thing from Another World* sequels – taking the alien out of the cold and into new places – these *Predator* comics took the Yautja back to the hunt, but in some really different and exciting environments. It wasn’t just more of the same, which I really appreciated.

Originally published in four parts between September and December 1991, *Predator: Cold War* revisits the story of John Schaefer. He’s abducted by a military group who need his help fighting another Predator in Siberia, promising information about the missing Dutch in return. Detective Rasche, haunted by the events of *Predator: Concrete Jungle* and later becoming a sheriff in Oregon, also gets involved while searching for his former partner. The story continues in 1996 with *Predator: Dark River*, where Schaefer searches for his brother, leading him to South America and a confrontation with even more Predators.

Predator Would Become A Dark Horse Comics Staple

The comic series *Predator: Concrete Jungle* and its two sequels are the only connected storyline featuring the Predator in Dark Horse Comics. However, Dark Horse – a publisher known for a wide range of titles – continued to publish more *Predator* stories, growing the universe for the next thirty years.

Dark Horse Comics published many original stories featuring the Predator, including titles like *Predator: God’s Truth* (1991) and the *Predator: Hunters* series from the late 2010s. The creature also appeared in popular crossover comics, battling iconic characters like Batman and even Archie Andrews. The most well-known of these was *Aliens vs. Predator*, first published as a single issue in 1989. This led to more stories about the conflict between the Yautja and Xenomorphs, eventually resulting in the films *Alien vs. Predator* (2004) and *Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem* (2007).

After Disney bought Twentieth Century Fox, including the rights to the Predator alien species (known as Yautja), the Predator comic books moved from Dark Horse Comics to Marvel Comics. This means a future Predator movie could technically be considered a Marvel film—a rare situation for the franchise. However, don’t expect to see Predator teaming up with characters like Thor or the Guardians of the Galaxy anytime soon, and that’s likely a good thing.

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2025-10-19 03:07