The Predator franchise is gearing up for its next chapter. Predator: Badlands is set to hit theaters on November 7, bringing the iconic sci-fi action series back to the big screen.
To help build anticipation, according to Vice, 20th Century Studios partnered with Garage Beer and Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce on a new spooky-season-ready spoof short titled Thermal Buzz.
The 11-minute project plays as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the original 1987 film that made Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Predator cultural fixtures.
Directed by Jordan Phoenix and filmed outside Orlando, the short features Kelce and former Eagles teammate Beau Allen suited up in camo, squaring off against intergalactic hunters in the jungle. True to the Garage Beer brand, the action pauses long enough for a cold one. Professional wrestler Matt Cardona also makes an appearance.
Fans got their first look at Thermal Buzz during Sunday’s NFL broadcasts, when a 30-second cut ran during commercial breaks. The full short will hit the streets this Friday, October 31.
“As a ’90s kid, there’s nothing I loved more than a good action movie,” Kelce said in a statement. “In my mind, it’s hard to find a movie more iconic than Predator. From the memes to the epic quotes, nothing compares in terms of action-packed entertainment. We’re just pumped that our short film can be part of the moment; I can’t wait to see Predator: Badlands.”
This marks the third time Kelce has teamed up with Garage Beer for a comedic mini-film.
Earlier installments included Brewmite, where he and brother Travis Kelce battled Chuck Liddell, and its sequel, Brewmite II.
Garage Beer itself has been expanding its reach with a mix of light lagers and humorous marketing campaigns. Most recently, the brand introduced the CanHeld Rake, billed as “the world’s first rake with a built-in beer holder.”