There is good news for Predator fans as filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg and 20th Century Studios are in talks to make a new Predator feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Trachtenberg, who earned an Emmy nomination for his 2022 Predator movie Prey, is returning to the sci-fi action horror franchise to make a new instalment. Prey Movie Review: The Hunt Begins As Amber Midthunder’s Predator Reboot Is a Return to Form For the Franchise! (LatestLY Exclusive).
The latest Predator film, titled Badlands, is not a sequel to Prey, which was set in 1719 and revolved around a young Comanche woman forced to struggle for survival against interplanetary predators, but rather a completely new plot. Plot details are being kept hidden; however, this one is reported to be set in the future. Like Prey, it will have a female lead.
Dan Trachtenberg To Direct the New Predator Film Badlands:
Exclusive 🤓🗞️ Dan Trachtenberg is set to direct a new installment in the ‘Predator’ franchise, following his success with the 2022 film ‘Prey.’ This upcoming movie, titled ‘Badlands,’ is not a sequel to ‘Prey’ #predator #DanTrachtenberg pic.twitter.com/38kbtndwXD
— Talent Agency Guide (@agency_guide) February 10, 2024
As with Prey, Trachtenberg collaborated on the story with Patrick Aison, who penned the screenplay. The project has been working in the background for some time and is nearing completion, with a July production start date scheduled.
Badlands is not the only Predator project in the works. Prey's unexpected popularity transcended critics and audiences, revitalizing the franchise. The studio is now developing a slew of Predator projects, with Trachtenberg at the forefront.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century had no comment.
Predator was a muscle-bound action film from 1987 that stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura as commandos being chased in a jungle by a terrible alien. The picture, directed by John McTiernan, helped to establish Schwarzenegger's celebrity status.
Three sequels followed: Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), and The Predator (2018), with Prey serving as a precursor. The property has also spawned successful comic books (Marvel Comics released Predator vs Wolverine last year) and video games. When Prey launched on Hulu, it was a major streaming success, smashing new watching records for the platform. The film, however, was initially intended for theatrical release.
When Prey launched on Hulu, it was a major streaming success, smashing new watching records for the platform. The film, however, was initially intended for theatrical release. This changed, however, following 20th Century Fox's transfer to Disney; according to insiders, the Fox-owned studio had an output arrangement with HBO, implying that Prey would have gone to a competing studio after its theatrical release. Prey Review: Critics Call Amber Midthunder's Predator Film a Gripping Action Thriller, Claim It to Be the Best Since the Original Arnold Schwarzenegger Film.
With strengthening streaming services a primary focus during The Streaming Wars and the epidemic still wreaking havoc on the box office, new owner Disney decided that releasing the film on Hulu would be the best choice.
Trachtenberg caught the attention of Hollywood with 2016's 10 Cloverfield Lane, a tense and claustrophobic entry in the JJ Abrams-produced Cloverfield movie series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.