Predator (1987)

Kernel Score: 85% · 8,900 ratings · Rated R

Genres: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Thriller

Released: 1987-06-12

Runtime: 107 minutes

Is Predator worth watching?

Must-watch. Arnold Schwarzenegger's commando team is hunted by an alien in the jungle. The first half is macho action and the second becomes a tense survival thriller, and the creature design still holds up.

Watch it if you

  • love 1980s action movies
  • like survival thrillers with a great monster
  • want a lean, quotable crowd-pleaser

Skip it if you

  • dislike gore and violence
  • want a deep story or rounded characters

Best for: Action movie night

Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.

Where to watch Predator

  • Stream: Fubo, YouTube TV, FXNow
  • Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
  • Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

US availability, updated 2026-10-23.

Overview

A team of elite commandos on a secret mission in a Central American jungle come to find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

Predator parents' guide: ages 15+

Parents need to know that Predator is an R-rated action-horror film with intense violence and jungle warfare.

  • Violence & scariness: Intense — Contains graphic combat violence, an alien creature hunting and killing soldiers, and intense jungle warfare.
  • Language: Moderate — Contains strong profanity typical of an R-rated 1980s military action film.

Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.

Movies like Predator

If you liked Predator, these are the movies we'd watch next.

  • The Terminator (1984) — 90%: Another lean 1980s sci-fi action film with an unstoppable hunter.
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) — 95%: Bigger and smarter, with the same star and machine-menace fear.
  • Die Hard (1988) — 87%: A classic 80s action film with one hero against a cunning enemy.
  • Mad Max 2 (1981) — 84%: Tough, lean and brutal post-apocalyptic action.
  • Independence Day (1996) — 80%: Big, crowd-pleasing alien invasion fun.
  • Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) — 85%: Cat-and-mouse sci-fi action between two commanders.

Director

John McTiernan

Cast

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer
  • Carl Weathers as Al Dillon
  • Kevin Peter Hall as The Predator / Helicopter Pilot
  • Elpidia Carrillo as Anna Gonsalves
  • Bill Duke as Mac Eliot
  • Jesse Ventura as Blain Cooper
  • Sonny Landham as Billy Sole
  • Richard Chaves as Jorge "Poncho" Ramirez
  • R.G. Armstrong as Major General Homer Phillips
  • Shane Black as Rick Hawkins

Predator FAQ

Is Predator worth watching?

Must-watch. Arnold Schwarzenegger's commando team is hunted by an alien in the jungle. The first half is macho action and the second becomes a tense survival thriller, and the creature design still holds up.

Where can I watch Predator?

In the US you can stream Predator on Fubo, YouTube TV and FXNow and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.

Is Predator OK for kids?

Predator is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Predator is an R-rated action-horror film with intense violence and jungle warfare.

What movies are like Predator?

If you liked Predator, try The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Die Hard and Mad Max 2.