The promotional campaign for Predator: Planet of Death has taken some surprising and unconventional turns.
20th Century Studios, in partnership with Garage Beer, has released a short film titled Thermal Buzz — a tongue-in-cheek send-up of the iconic 1987 Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Director Jordan Phoenix transforms the familiar jungle survival tale into a playful, comedic tribute.
The plot follows a squad of fighters who run afoul of an extraterrestrial hunter and are picked off one by one. The only survivor is Jason Kelsi, an American football player who serendipitously finds refuge inside a chilled, frothy beer can — which temporarily conceals him from the Predator’s thermal sight. The finale turns even more absurd when the Predator samples the drink, abandons the hunt, and ends up spending a peaceful moment with Kelsi.
Although the short is officially a collaboration between 20th Century Studios and Garage Beer timed to the release of Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Planet of Death — which is scheduled for November 7 — viewers have already started debating Thermal Buzz, comparing it to the forthcoming feature.
Some viewers have even claimed the clip is “better than Planet of Death,” implying not everyone is on board with Trachtenberg’s interpretation. Reporters who attended recent screenings in London say the director turned the classic action thriller into a family-friendly road movie, a departure from the tone of the original installments.
The short can be watched via the following link.
Source: iXBT.games