After the awesome and criminally underrated Predator 2, Twentieth Century Fox lost focus on both their Predator and Alien franchises, releasing the underwhelming Alien vs. Predator, it’s even cheaper R-rated sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, and then the Robert Rodriguez-produced reboot/sequel Predators.

Thanks to Marvel and their cinematic universe, every studio executive is shifting focus. There’s all sorts of eventized franchises afoot, whether it’s X-Men, Planet of the Apes or Ridley Scott’s new Alien trilogy.

Fox was quick to adapt, being one of the first studios to start spending money on respectable reboots. And while some failed (Fantastic Four), others have flourished. Prometheus, for example, has opened up the door for a mega-sized Predator follow-up, which is being directed by Shane Black.

Black spoke with Thrillist about how he was approached and why he decided to get behind the now titled The Predator.

“They called me and I was reluctant. I said, ‘Look. You guys at Fox, I mean, I enjoy these movies, but we’ve been churning out these AVP whatever, they each cost a certain amount of money, they’re okay, but there’s no effort to elevate them or make them any kind of an event.’ They’re just sort of another PREDATOR. ‘Oh, there’s another one that came out.’ They said, ‘What if we said to you we want to reinvent this, and really treat it with as much of an event status, or as much hoopla as we would the Alien prequel, which is coming out also? We really want to make this something. The kind of movie that people line up for.’ I said, ‘Really, you’ll spend a bunch of money?’ They go, ‘Yep.’ I go, ‘Make it really scale, spectacle?’ ‘Yep.’ ‘Sh*t, that sounds interesting.'”

Black also talked about the focus to “do it right this time” and using Iron Man III as a springboard.

“I think the first one was great, and it was contained, and it was a perfect little gem for what it was. I think there’s an expansion that needs to take place, and also just a love for that era, that movie, and the mythology of the PREDATOR. I think that they came to me knowing pretty much that… they said, basically, if I wanted to make PREDATOR but treat it like it was IRON MAN III instead of just another little movie. I said, ‘Let’s really do it right this time.'”

Black is a tremendous writer (Lethal Weapon, The Monster Squad) and director, having punched up the original Predator from set and also helming the fantastic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It’s also exciting to hear that Arnold Schwarzenegger plans on meeting with Black about returning to his original role. Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) penned the screenplay.

Producer John Davis recently exclaimed that the next Predator would reinvent the franchise, while we’ve been told by insiders that it’s a direct sequel to John McTiernan’s 1987 Predator.

Twentieth Century Fox will hunt down The Predator on March 2, 2018.