Predator Badlands: New Details Emerge About Dan Trachtenberg’s New Hunter
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Phil Roberts 
Here’s everything we know about Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands. In this bold narrative switch, the hunter becomes the hunted.
With the film now locked in for release this November, new details about Dan Trachtenberg’s PREDATOR: BADLANDS have emerged. The upcoming continuation of the Predator era established in PREY aims to explore what happens when the hunter becomes the hunted. The movie follows a juvenile Predator, banished from its clan and forced to fend for itself. Along the way, it meets Elle Fanning, and together, the duo tries to survive against overwhelming odds.
Until now, we have only the synopsis for information about the film. However, at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week, 20th Century Studios provided our first look at the movie and revealed more details about the plot.
The story will follow a younger Predator outcast striving to prove himself after being banished from his tribe. This Predator appears different from any we’ve seen in previous films. He’s a teenager. Interestingly, Elle Fanning is not the victim being pursued in “Predator: Badlands.” Instead, she is allied with the alien hunter. What’s more, her character may not be human; she is rumored to be a synthetic being, similar to characters from the Alien universe.
ALIEN VS PREDATOR
Rumors have long circulated that director Dan Trachtenberg is collaborating with Fede Alvarez, the director of Alien Romulus, to create a shared universe for the Alien and Predator franchises. Their collaboration would connect their films’ narratives, building toward a confrontation between the Aliens and Predators. This would establish an official Alien vs. Predator universe for the big screen. The footage shown at CinemaCon provides substantial evidence for these rumors.
The brief sizzle reel trailer features a Xenomorph skull and hints that a young Predator is hunting for more dangerous prey. Could this be the initial link in the chain leading to a shared Alien vs. Predator universe? We certainly hope so! Additionally, the trailer showcased several beautifully rendered alien planets for the creature to hunt on. These diverse and stunning worlds promise that Badlands will be one of the most visually ambitious Predator movies ever.
PREDATOR BECOMES PREY
Trachtenberg’s premise is a daring one. The franchise is filled with larger-than-life heroes who have faced off against the alien hunter and emerged victorious. Arnold Schwarzenegger showcased his strength in the original film. Danny Glover relied on his street smarts to outwit the City Hunter, and Adrien Brody triumphed over three evolved hunters in Robert Rodriguez’s outstanding third installment. In his previous film, Trachtenberg had the alien hunter go up against a fierce Comanche warrior, and we all know how that played out. So, it’s a pretty bold, creative move to shift the spotlight and make the hunter the protagonist this time around. But it’s an enticing prospect, let me tell you.
RELEASE
The film sounds like another winner on the strength of this first look, and we are here for it 100%. Fortunately, this time, Trachtenberg is getting the recognition he deserves with a full theatrical release, so fans can finally look forward to seeing the Predator back where it belongs on the big screen. So assemble your team, brush up on your hunting skills, and get ready to face off against the alien hunter again. If it bleeds, we can kill it!
Predator: Badlands brings the hunt to cinemas in November 2025
Are you excited about Trachtenberg’s new direction for the franchise? Post a comment and join the conversation.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
