Chapter 2

“It knows how to hunt. But I know how to survive”

Dan Trachtenberg’s 2022 film Prey subverts the science fiction Predator film franchise by placing the infamous alien hunter in early 18th-century North America and reducing it to a secondary figure that interacts with indigenous wildlife, French fur trappers, and the Comanche people. Instead, Trachtenberg, alongside Indigenous cultural consultants, centers Prey on Naru — a young Comanche woman portrayed by Indigenous actress Amber Midthunder — on a transformative journey of Indigenous identity, self-sovereignty, and resistance against alien and human colonial forces. The film received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics, including Indigenous critics who praised its portrayal of Comanche ways of life. While some argue that Prey’s release on a streaming platform limits its potential to challenge mainstream Indigenous stereotypes, this study focuses on how the film disrupts cinematic conventions by centering Indigenous storymaking, authentic cultural practices, and resistance to colonial domination, offering a more nuanced and respectful portrayal of Indigeneity.

Drawing on scholarship in film studies, Indigenous studies, and especially Indigenous science fiction, this study contends that Prey juxtaposes Indigeneity and Indigenous cultural elements with science fiction tropes, offering a creative reimagining of both past and present while providing a poignant commentary on the intersections of identity, storymaking, and resistance. This fusion is what makes the film so compelling: it tells a culturally grounded Indigenous story of a young woman overcoming challenges to become a warrior hunter, all within the action-packed universe of the Predator. By incorporating Indigenous storymaking within the SF framework, Prey becomes a powerful medium for subverting dominant cultural narratives and ideologies, representing a progressive step towards more inclusive and accurate storytelling in popular media.