'The Predator' Asks Yvonne Strahovski To Get To The Chopper

When Shane Black revealed the cast of The Predator in a photo on Monday, one thing became abundantly clear: there was only one woman in that line-up of well-dressed and generally handsome gentlemen. But now, we know that Olivia Munn won't be the only woman on the alien hunter's to-kill list. She's getting some company in the form of Yvonne Strahovski.

The news comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter, who say that Strahovski will play the mother of Jacob Tremblay's character, a "troubled boy who is accidentally drawn into the conflict with the fierce alien creatures by her ex-husband." That ex-husband will be played by Logan and Narcos star Boyd Holbrook.

Additional story details remain scarce, especially since Black has denied the early rumors that the film is set in the suburbs. However, it should be noted that THR uses "creatures" and not "creature," which raises a pretty good question: how many Predators are going to be menacing the cast in this movie? Because one was more than enough to turn most of the 1987 original's ensemble into human trophies. I'm tickled at the thought of actors from Don't Think Twice and Moonlight doing what Arnold Schwarzenegger could not and actually standing a chance against an entire team of Predators.

Anyway, Strahovski is best known for playing Sarah Walker on 91 episodes of Chuck, but she's been a regular presence on television since then, going on to appear in Dexter, 24: Live Another Day, and The Astronaut's Wives Club. She can be seen next in Hulu's upcoming series adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale. Her film roles include I, Frankenstein, All I See is You, Manhattan Night, and The Guilt Trip.

Since she has plenty of experience playing tough women perfectly capable of fending for themselves, thank you very much, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that The Predator isn't just sticking her in a "worried mother" role. Although Black has specialized in making (usually pretty great) movies about tough men being tough men, last year's The Nice Guys saw him creating one of the more memorable female characters of 2016 in Angourie Rice's Holly March. Here's hoping the trend continues. 

In addition to Strahovski, Holbrook, Tremblay and Munn, the cast of The Predator also includes Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane, and Alfie Allen. Cameras began rolling in Vancouver on Monday and the film is set for February 9, 2018 release date.