Director Dan Trachtenberg is sharing more details about how bold his plans are for the next *Predator* film, *Badlands*. Although many viewers anticipated a continuation of the story with Amber Midthunder reprising her role as Naru, Trachtenberg is taking the franchise in a completely new direction.
Speaking to Empire, the director explained his reasoning behind the bold direction:
It’s natural to jump to thinking about a ‘Prey 2’, but with sequels, it’s easy to get focused on *what* could happen next without considering *if* it should. What made the first *Prey* so unique was its completely original concept, and I wanted any follow-up to be just as innovative.
A Predator as the Star
The new film, *Badlands*, flips the script on the Predator story. Instead of focusing on humans fighting the alien, it tells the story from the Predator’s perspective. The film follows a young, inexperienced Predator named Dek as he hunts dangerous creatures on an alien planet. He teams up with the upper body of an android named Thia, portrayed by Elle Fanning, creating what the director describes as an unlikely ‘buddy comedy’ pairing.
Unlike my previous work, *Prey*, which focused on individual survival, this film explores a connection between characters. We aimed to make the character Dek someone audiences could connect with, but without making him a typical hero like Luke Skywalker. He’s still a formidable Predator – we wanted to keep his rough edges – but also make him someone you’d want to see succeed.
A Genre-Busting Monster Movie
Trachtenberg compares the film’s tone to a throwback fantasy:
It feels like an old-school Ray Harryhausen adventure – a wild journey with monsters and dangerous surroundings. Except this time, instead of classic creatures, it’s a powerful Predator facing them.
Okay, so as a huge fan of this series, I’m really excited about *Badlands*. It looks like they’re going in a totally different direction this time – we’re talking aliens, robots, and these unbelievably huge creatures. It’s definitely not what we’ve seen before, and I think that’s a good thing!
Release info
The new movie, *Predator: Badlands*, will be released in theaters and IMAX on November 7, 2025. Elle Fanning stars as Thia, and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi plays the role of the young Predator.
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2025-09-22 20:01