Schwarzenegger Returns To Predator As Dutch, Fills In Plot
The game Predator: Hunting Grounds will fill in the blanks with what Arnold Schwarzenegger's character Dutch has been up to since his appearance in Predator (1987). And it's no voice-alike, it's the real deal. After director John McTiernan's original film, the original plan was to see Dutch return in Predator 2 in the role essentially filled by Gary Busey. Now, 33 years later, we get to see Schwarzenegger return to the Predator universe, in his original role, in an officially licensed expansion of canon in the game Predator: Hunting Grounds.
The game is developed by IllFonic, and the expansion of Dutch's role in the Predator universe was written by Jared Gerritzen. Gerritzen is Cheif Creative Officer at IllFonic, and through his words, Dutch was brought back to life. Real-deal recordings of Arnold Schwarzenegger were made for the game.
"The premise of it is [Dutch] recorded these tapes since '87 after the first movie," said Gerritzen in an EW interview. "Throughout these tapes, there are those arrows [pointing to] what he's doing, kind of like safeguards if he gets killed or captured. These tapes are gonna be used to essentially keep his story going."
Gerritzen noted that they made an effort to make sure the Dutch story was "bulletproof." They pushed the story through the Predator storyline at large. "It's not like '87 [Dutch] went and did nothing to do with the universe," said Gerritzen. "We actually tied it to the universe."
The game includes recorded "tapes" of Dutch as well as in-game lines. Dutch is a playable character in the game, and voice-over work for his emotes are also truly Arnold.
Good morning, it's my birthday and today is pretty amazing because the gift is for all of us! DUTCH LIVES!! Also here a photo of me and one of my favorite people in the world @Schwarzenegger (yes I'm getting this framed) pic.twitter.com/tyuhYyGpm3
— GERRIT7EN (@Gerritzen) May 12, 2020
"When we recorded the V.O. for him being the Fireteam member, when he would say a line, it just vibrated in the room," said Gerritzen. "The one-liners that he does in movies are so natural to him. Simple stuff, like him saying, 'reload,' it's Arnold!"
This game also includes voice acting from Jake Busey, son of Gary Busey, reprising his role as Keyes from 2018's The Predator. Keyes in The Predator is the son of Keyes in Predator 2, mind you – sons in real life, sons in Predator.