Arnold Schwarzenegger, the iconic action star, may not be finished with his role as Dutch Schaefer in the beloved Predator franchise, a possibility fueled by his unexpected appearance in the extended ending of Predator: Killer of Killers. Schwarzenegger first embodied the character in the seminal 1987 monster movie, and his return, even in the 2020 video game Predator: Hunting Grounds, was met with fan enthusiasm. While many might have assumed his time with the franchise was over, especially given his age, recent discussions suggest otherwise.

Dan Trachtenberg, the director behind Predator: Badlands and Prey, shed light on the future of the franchise during a recent interview. When asked about Schwarzenegger's potential return, Trachtenberg confirmed a meeting with the actor. He noted that Schwarzenegger is well aware of the franchise's enduring appeal, humorously recalling the actor’s preference for "Get to the Chopper!" over "I’ll be back!" Trachtenberg further elaborated that Schwarzenegger expressed excitement about exploring new narrative avenues for Dutch, indicating "he was excited to talk about what else we could do. Because there’s so much more story to tell now — you could tell how [Dutch and Naru] were captured, or what happens when they de-ice. Many possibilities."

The original 1987 Predator movie, starring Schwarzenegger, is widely acclaimed as one of the best action films of its era. It boasts a "Certified Fresh" 80% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87% audience score. Despite being nearly four decades old, the film achieved significant box office success, grossing $98 million globally against a $15 million budget. Schwarzenegger did not participate in the 1990 sequel, Predator 2, which featured Danny Glover, whose character also had a potential return hinted at in Killer of Killers' extended ending.

For fans looking to revisit the classic, Predator (1987) is currently available for streaming on Hulu. It can also be rented or purchased on various Video On Demand (VOD) platforms such as Prime Video and Fandango at Home. Alongside Schwarzenegger, the original film starred Carl Weathers and Shane Black. Black later directed the 2018 installment of the franchise before control passed to Dan Trachtenberg. The screenplay for Predator (1987) was penned by Jim and John Thomas, and the film was directed by John McTiernan, who is also renowned for his work on the original Die Hard movie.