It’s a dark action thriller: Fishburne

When word leaked that Laurence Fishburne was a surprise addition to Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, it ignited an Internet blaze. So what encouraged the Oscar-nominated star of The Matrix to return to the sci-fi genre?
Laurence Fishburne talks about being the secret weapon in Robert Rodriguez’s fearsome new Predators as the Fox Star studio’s film gears up for release on August 6.
What is the 2010 Predators about?
It’s a bunch of killers trapped on a planet trying to figure out why they’re there.Once they figure out that they’re being hunted down, it turns into a pretty dark action thriller!
Now that we are about to see a new breed of Predators unleashed, how does Predators compare to the first two movies?
The first two Predator movies are interesting because the Predators come to our planet and they have all this technology. They’re these really great warrior hunters, but they’re looking for a challenge. The idea that a predatory-like creature from another planet would come to Earth to test its skills is really kind of interesting. I can tell you that we made a really, really cool movie and if you liked the first Predator, you will love this movie.
You’ve only been part of one other major franchise rather famously before with The Matrix films. What sealed the deal for you to join Predators?
Really, it’s Nimrod Antal who’s responsible for bringing me on board. We made Armored together and really fell in love with working together. I said to him many times, “I can’t until we get to play together again.” They called and asked me if I would come do this and it was perfect. My role as Noland is just the perfect little jewel in the middle of this movie.
You didn’t start your career in sci-fi or genre films, which seems to be a solid entry for rising talent in this generation. Were you a fan of such material?
I never would have thought of it that way only because I think I’m a science fiction fan to begin with. Some of it is for the writing or the production value and the visuals. The first Predator movie was wonderful. It was a traditional kind of action picture, not just because it had Arnold Schwarzenegger and features Carl Weathers and Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura. These guys were real action guys and then the second movie made this turn.