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Fox has tapped Nimrod Antal ("Vacancy") to direct "Predators" for producer Robert Rodriguez through his Troublemaker Studios.

The project's scheduled for a July 7, 2010, release.

It represents the fifth iteration of the franchise, which dates back to Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Predator" in 1987, followed by "Predator 2" in 1990, "Alien Vs. Predator" in 2004 and "Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem" in 2007.

Alex Litvak and Michael Finch are scripting "Predators."

Fox announced in April that Rodriguez had come on board to re-boot the "Predator" franchise along with co-directing "Machete" with Ethan Maniquis.

Antal co-wrote and directed the 2004 Hungarian drama "Kontroll," set in the Budapest subway system and shown at Cannes. He also helmed heist drama "Armored" for Screen Gems, set for release later this year.

It seems Antal was chosen ahead of the likes of Neil Marshall because of his sterling work on Kontroll and the forthcoming Armoured, and also because of his charismatic personality.

Rodriguez said: "I found him to be an outstanding presence, a great communicator full of ideas... He reminded me of Quentin [Tarantino] with how he was able to work with a group of very strong, singular actor talents and make it look effortless."

He also tells us to expect Predators to be as character-driven as the original, and to revolve around "a very intense group of people stranded on a Predator planet discovering unspeakable horrors (that are not always from outside their group)."

Predators will begin filming at Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios in Austin this autumn.



Excited? I sure am!