Animal sidekicks are often the best part of movies. And Prey—which features a very good dog—is Hulu’s biggest movie premier. Coincidence? I think not. The film’s success is partially because of Sarii, the main character’s loyal dog companion with an interesting real-life background. The Fulton Shelter in Atlanta, Georgia confirmed on Facebook that Coco the dog (and now Hollywood darling) was one of their adoptable pets before starring in Prey.
The post also shares some adorable behind the scenes info. (Apparently, she was not that good at hitting her marks.) Both director Dan Trachtenberg and star Amber Midthunder revealed that Coco was high energy on set. Despite this, her screen time increased during filming due to her popularity with the cast, crew, and test audiences. We first saw the sweet news on Collider and now we’re hoping for a Prey blooper reel full of Coco’s on-set shenanigans.
The movie, which you can watch dubbed into the Comanche language, follows a woman (and her dog) as she tries to prove her hunting abilities to her tribe. The Predator prequel is a worthy edition to the franchise. You can read Nerdist’s full, spoiler-free (and somehow also dog-free) review of Prey.
For those worried about Sarii’s fate, you can always check out DoesTheDogDie.com for answers to that and other important questions. And for more rescue dog content, check out the Chris Evans puppy interview, which also includes older dogs available for adoption. And don’t forget about Texas ChainPaw Massacre, which highlights rescue animals that look like pets in horror movies. Keep an eye out for sweet doggos that look like Sarii/Coco and adopt your own loyal sidekick!
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.