“Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” isn’t exactly the most revered film in the “Alien” or “Predator” franchise. Holding a 12% critical approval score, it’s the lowest-rated movie for both series on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, there’s at least one bright spot: The fan-favorite Predator nicknamed Wolf (Ian Whyte), who succeeds in putting the hurt on the deadly Predalien.
In an interview with MTV in 2007, Colin revealed how the Predator got his name. “We call him the Wolf internally because basically he’s Harvey Keitel from ‘Pulp Fiction,'” he said. “He’s the cleaner. He shows up and he’s not there for the trophies … If anybody gets in his way, he’ll just cut ’em in half.”
In Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” Keitel portrays Winston Wolfe, aka the Wolf, and yes, he’s a cleaner who “scrubs” the crime scenes for mobsters, including a particularly messy one caused by Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson). To quote the character from the 1994 classic film, “I’m Winston Wolfe. I solve problems.” Sounds a lot like our buddy from “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem,” since he needs to sort out the big mess from the previous film, “Alien vs. Predator,” where a Facehugger cozies up inside the Predator Scar (also played by Whyte), resulting in the birth of the Predalien.
Wolf remains one of the most beloved Predator characters
Scroll through any forum about “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” and everyone says the same thing: Wolf rules. An absolute unit of a hunter, this Predator is the Rambo of the franchise, waging a one-Yautja war on Xenomorphs, humans, and the Predalien all in one movie. As a matter of fact, one wonders if Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) would have been triumphant in the first “Predator” had he faced off against Wolf.
For actor and stuntman Ian Whyte, who has played various Predators across the franchise and even an engineer in Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus,” there’s only one answer when someone asks him who’s his favorite Yautja. “Wolf, no question!” he told Alien vs. Predator Galaxy. “I poured my heart and soul into him … not to mention blood, sweat, and tears.”
Wolf featured in a few video games, but he only had a once-off appearance in the films, being killed off by a nuclear bomb in “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.” Considering how the entire “Predator” story and timeline jumps around, there’s a possibility that Wolf could return at some point.