The upcoming film Monster Hunter might be only loosely based on beloved Capcom video game franchise of the same name, but the first trailer was definitely filled to the brim with the titular creatures. Director Paul W. S. Anderson and star Milla Jovovich, who previously worked on the Resident Evil series of video-game inspired films, have seemingly put together a film which pairs a unique story with classic, recognizable monsters.
Monster Hunter tells the story of Captain Artemis (Jovovich), a military leader who, along with her squadron of elite soldiers, finds herself trapped in the world of the Monster Hunter games. There, Artemis must team up with the mysterious Hunter (martial artist and stuntman Tony Jaa) in order to hunt the creatures and survive using game-inspired weapons such as the Dual Blades. Along the way, Artemis and her squad will encounter foes from throughout the Monster Hunter series, including the herbivorous yet aggressive Apceros, the sand-dwelling Diablos, the spider-like Nerscylla, and, of course, the franchise’s most iconic monster, the airborne Rathalos.
The monsters look ferocious and ready to fight – especially the Rathalos, which is far larger than usual members of its species, a fact which Anderson hints may be connected to the film’s overarching plot. Sharp-eyed fans were also surprised to note what seems to be a shot of a Gore Magala, infamously one of the most difficult monsters to locate and defeat in Monster Hunter 4. Luckily, Anderson has confirmed that not all of the monsters featured in the film will be terrifying and deadly – the friendly Palicoes, which often serve as companions to the heroes, will also be making an appearance. We might even get to see popular Palico character Meowscular Chief!
Currently, Monster Hunter is scheduled to release in theaters in December, although COVID-19 cinema closures may affect this release date.
