Predatoris easily one of the greatest science fiction action films of all time, but it took quite some time for it to inspire a compelling franchise.Predator 2was a significant disappointment, theAlien vs. Predatorfilms felt like cheap knock-offs,Predatorswasn’t substantially different enough from the original, andShane Black’sThe Predatorwas a tonal misfire.
Thankfully, directorDan Trachtenbergmanaged to get the franchise back on track withPrey, a prequel film that took place over two centuries before the events of the original film. AlthoughPreywas strangely given a release directly on Hulu, forgoing theaters entirely,2025 sees the debut of the live-action sequelPredator: Badlandsandthe animated prequelPredator: Killer of Killers.
‘Predator’ Is Getting a Sequel and a Prequel
WhilePreywas a terrific film that got back to the gritty roots of thePredatorfranchise, it ended on a conclusive note with Naru (Amber Midthunder) defending her tribe against the alien creature, thus proving herself as a competent warrior. A traditional sequel may have been a challenge, but it was evident that 20th Century Studios wanted to remain in business with Trachtenberg, as his passion for the material is evident.Trachtenberg’s new film,Predator: Badlands,takes place in the distant futureand will be the first installment in the series to take place on the alien creatures’ homeworld. InPredator: Badlands, the young Predator outcast known as “Dek” (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is forced to team up with the android Thia (Elle Fanning), who was created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation from theAlienfranchise. Even if it’s the most radical setting shift in the series so far,Predator: Badlandsseems to emulate the original film’s themes of survivalism.
It was unusual thatPreywas released directly on Hulu, as enthusiasm for the film indicated that it may have performed well if it had been given a theatrical window. WhilePredator: Badlandsis set for a fall release date in theaters,Predator: Killer of Killersis an animated anthology film that will debut on Hulu in June. Utilizing different styles of animation,Predator: Killer of Killersexplores a Predator’s interactions with mankind during threepivotal moments in human history: an ancient Viking protecting her son, a feudal warrior in Imperial Japan, and an Allied pilot during the height of World War II. All must do battle with a fearsome warrior who seeks out other killers. Given that the film will be available on streaming immediately,Predator: Killer of Killershas the opportunity to be more experimental and may appeal to the significant number of animation fans that regularly use the Disney+ platform. Additionally, any positive word-of-mouth that the film receives will only heighten the anticipation forPredator: Badlandswhen it comes out a few months later.
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Dan Trachtenberg Is Expanding the Possibilities of the ‘Predator’ Franchise
ThePredatorfranchise has finally found its footing, as it seems to understand that the best way for the series to still feel exciting is to change up the setting and stylistic approach of each installment. A core issue with a majority of thePredatoroffshoots is that they felt far too similar to the original classic, and replicating whatJohn McTiernandid was always going to spark negative comparisons. Going to the homeworld of the Predators is a great concept that subverts the themes of invasion and exploration that have always been inherent to the franchise; similarly, flashing to different points in human history withinPredator: Killer of Killersallows forgreater insights on the philosophy of warfarethat these creatures have adapted to over time.
Trachtenberg is the perfect filmmaker to oversee thePredatorfranchise going forward, asPreyproved that he could make a fulfilling new installment that wasn’t entirely grounded in nostalgia.Preywas a more small-scale, confined take on the franchise that showed what Trachtenberg could do with more restrictions, so it makes sense thatPredator: Badlandswould have a heightened scale. WithPredator: Killer of Killers, Trachtenberg has recruited animation legendMicho Robert Rutareto serve as his co-writer and co-director. Althoughthe notion of a potential crossover with theAlienfranchisehas gotten fans of both sagas excited, the anticipation for both films this year indicates that thePredatorseries is strong enough to stand on its own.
Predator: Badlands
