A Predator movie with almost no humans, and it somehow works beautifully.

Director Dan Trachtenberg sits down to discuss Predator: Badlands, the latest entry in the franchise he’s revitalized three times now. The film eschews the series’ traditional gore and horror in favor of a sci-fi fantasy adventure influenced by Willow and Shadow of the Colossus, set largely on an alien world with minimal human characters. Trachtenberg reveals the studio was initially nervous about the tonal shift, but he pushed for it as a longtime fan. He also discusses deleted scenes, hidden Easter eggs, and confirms he’s still thinking about more Predator projects.

A Predator movie with almost no humans, and it somehow works beautifully. Director Dan Trachtenberg has done it again, delivering the third installment in his revitalization of the Predator franchise with Predator: Badlands. Now that the film has decloaked on streaming and physical media, Trachtenberg sat down for a spoiler-filled conversation about what went into making one of the series’ most unique entries.
Badlands breaks from tradition in almost every way. Instead of gore-soaked horror action, it delivers a sci-fi fantasy adventure heavily influenced by classics like Willow and video games such as Shadow of the Colossus. The story unfolds largely on an alien world, with minimal human characters. Trachtenberg revealed that the studio initially had reservations about this tonal shift, worrying how hardcore Predator fans would react. “I, as a hardcore Predator fan, was more excited about the tonal choices,” he explained, adding that he wanted to create something that could also draw in viewers who hadn’t paid attention to the franchise before.
The film’s development faced skepticism internally for obvious reasons. “It’s an easy no to a movie that’s got no humans in it and has a monster with a robot strapped to its back,” Trachtenberg noted. “And instead of saying no, they said yes.” That willingness to take risks has defined his approach to the franchise since Prey first surprised audiences.
The home release includes deleted scenes and previz materials that didn’t make the final cut. Trachtenberg pointed to a “big synth fight in the middle of the movie” that ended up on the cutting room floor. While he admitted being bummed about losing some elements, he emphasized that the final version is superior. Every major scene that was shot and cut is included in some form on the disc.
Easter eggs abound for eagle-eyed fans. Trachtenberg teased one skull on the wall of the ship’s trophy room that fans have been guessing about incorrectly. “It’s a little bit cuter of a thing, so to speak,” he said, leaving the mystery intact. More personal touches include his daughter’s nickname “Luna Bug” appearing as a character name, and dates scattered throughout that represent crew members’ birthdays.
On the question of whether he’s done with the franchise, Trachtenberg offered hope. “Yeah, it’s something I’m still thinking about,” he confirmed with a smile when asked about a third post-Prey project he’s been teasing. While his first-look deal with Paramount leaves room for other projects, everything points to him staying involved even if he doesn’t direct every entry himself.
The conversation turned to the Yautja lore introduced in Badlands and the animated Killer of Killers. Trachtenberg addressed the design similarities between the guards serving Dek’s father in Badlands and the Yautja seen in Killer of Killers, noting it “doesn’t necessarily mean anything” about the timeline since Badlands is set far in the future. He remained coy about whether the practice of collecting those who’ve bested hunters is universal across Yautja society or specific to one tribe. “In their minds, that’s not sore losing. In their minds, it’s a great honor to be immortalized and to be able to compete in the arena. That’s a high honor for them. Is it everyone? We’ll see.”
Elle Fanning’s dual role as synth “sisters” Thia and Tessa was a foundational element from the start. Trachtenberg explained that having two Elles allowed the antagonist story to mirror Dek’s own family struggles. “Dek is dealing with funky family things. I loved the idea of his reluctant partner Thia and the antagonist, that they’re dealing with family stuff… All that was the rich playground we wanted to draw on for the movie.” The connection to the Alien franchise through Weyland-Yutani drones and MU/TH/UR’s return only deepened that thematic complexity.
With Badlands now available for home viewing and Trachtenberg clearly still enamored with this universe, the future looks bright for Predator fans willing to embrace change. The playground keeps expanding, and the director shows no signs of leaving.