A recent update confirms Dan Trachtenberg’s expanding work within the Predator franchise, including a new sequel following Killer of Killers and the upcoming Badlands. The director revealed he developed both projects back-to-back to fast-track a third, still-unannounced entry. His comments hint at a bold new direction for the sci-fi franchise, one that builds on fresh concepts never before explored with the iconic creature.
Dan Trachtenberg confirms new Predator movie after Badlands and Killer of Killers
In an interview with SFX magazine, Trachtenberg said, “After Prey came out, and I started thinking about sequel stuff, there were three ideas that I had. Killers is one, Badlands is two and the third one is something else.” He added, “I did two at once because I could…multitask with animation…I was so eager to get to the third thing.” (via GamesRadar+)
Trachtenberg described his approach to the franchise, stating, “There’s a lot of cool ideas out there… All of it is like, ‘Whoa, no one has done that in sci-fi. No one has done that in Predator. No one’s done that with the creature.’” He confirmed he wants to return to the third project “when Badlands is finished.”
Predator: Killer of Killers premiered on June 6 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in other places. The animated anthology movie features three timelines: 841 AD, feudal Japan, and World War II. In each story, Ursa, Kenji, and John Torres face off against a Predator. Dan Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung co-directed the film. It includes an Easter egg confirming its place in Predator canon.
Predator: Badlands is set for theatrical release on November 7. The live-action film stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek, an outcast Predator. Elle Fanning plays Thia, a Weyland-Yutani robot. Plot details remain limited, but Trachtenberg described it as an “inversion” where “the Predator is the one being hunted.”
The franchise’s expansion has sparked speculation about a possible Alien vs. Predator crossover. While promoting Alien: Romulus, director Fede Alvarez responded to a question about the crossover by saying, “Maybe something that I have to co-direct with my buddy Dan (Trachtenberg)…Maybe we should do something like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez did with From Dusk Till Dawn. I direct one half, he directs the other.” (via Deadline)
