End Credits: The Predator

It’s been over 30 years since the first Predator movie, which introduced us to the beefy dreadlocked extraterrestrial with a weird mouth. Since then we’ve had a few somewhat disappointing outings for the trophy-seeking hunters, even facing off against those other notorious aliens who could never get it right again. Like many revisited, rebooted or remade franchises, especially from the 1980s, The Predator promises to break the cycle and live up to the hype. But for all I want to believe, it’s hard not to take that with a pinch of salt. This time, the predators have evolved, upgrading themselves with DNA from other species, and breeding some form of hybrid ultimate predator. A young boy accidentally triggers their return to earth after opening a package containing a predator mask, among other things. Other than that details right now are scarce. There were rumours that Arnold Schwarzenegger might reprise his Dutch role from the first movie or make a cameo, but these have been slightly shunned, although that could be a bluff.

One thing that is for sure is Crazy Rich Asians’ firm grasp on the US box office top spot the past few weeks. Based on the book of the same name, Crazy Rich Asians at heart is a typical romcom: boy meets girl, they fall in love, boy turns out to be from one of the richest families in Singapore, boy’s mother disapproves of girl. As the title suggests there are vast amounts of wealth on display – sickening levels usually reserved for opulent Instagram lifestyle posts – and the cast is Asian. Which, given some previous casting decisions in Hollywood, has been welcomed and is one reason for the film receiving praise. Another is the depiction of details of Asian-American culture.