Badlands Is Taking The Sci-Fi Franchise In A Wild Direction

Director Dan Trachtenberg completely reinvented the “Predator” franchise in 2022 with the release of his much-acclaimed prequel “Prey.” The film took the series back decades to pit a Comanche against the famed cinematic alien hunter with thrilling results. So, how does one follow up such a refreshing reinvention of a long-running saga? By doing it again in an entirely new way.

Next year will see the release of “Predator: Badlands,” which is getting a theatrical release rather than being dumped straight to Hulu like “Prey.” In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Trachtenberg, who returns to the director’s chair, dished some intriguing details about the film, which will be set in the future rather than the past. Most intriguing of all though is that the Predator will be our protagonist this time around, rather than purely a villain. Here’s what Trachtenberg had to say about it:

“The creature is front and center, leading the charge. He’s still badass, but there’s something there that touches you emotionally, too. Creating a character you connect with, but are also super-intimidated by, has been challenging. But exciting.”

That’s a pretty wild idea that also feels appropriate since we are talking about a franchise that is nearly 40 years old. Why not try something new? After all, we are talking about the man who made the best-reviewed “Predator” movie to date. It only seems fair to let him loose creatively again.

Trachtenberg also explained that he is trying to “find another essential piece of cinema that does what ‘Prey’ did spiritually — pushing the franchise’s boundaries, letting us root for a hero we rarely get to root for — but in a different way. And that transformed into this big idea of rooting for the Predator.”

To be clear, it’s not as though this movie will be devoid of humans. Elle Fanning (“Super 8,” “The Great”) is set to play the lead in “Badlands.” Well, leads, technically speaking. Fanning is going to be pulling double duty as she is playing multiple roles. “She faced intense challenges on this movie — dramatically, physically, logistically,” Trachtenberg said of Fanning’s performance, without dishing out too many details.

As fascinating as this all sounds, there is even more to be excited about. We recently learned that Trachtenberg made a secret “Predator” movie in addition to this one, and it will release next year, before “Badlands.” Details on that film are being kept locked down by Disney/20th Century Studios right now, but it’s rumored to be an animated project. In short, there is plenty to look forward to for fans of this series, and it doesn’t sound like the powers that be are handcuffing Trachtenberg creatively. That’s relatively rare in big franchise filmmaking, and that’s reason enough to be excited about what’s coming our way next year.

“Predator: Badlands” is set to hit theaters on November 7, 2025.