Hold on to your seats, Predator fans! It looks like the upcoming Predator: Badlands is about to throw us into a whole new level of alien chaos. A newly released clip shows our Yautja hero battling… tentacle monsters! Yes, you read that right. Tentacle monsters.
But before we dive into the gooey details, let's rewind a bit. Remember Prey, the critically acclaimed Predator prequel? Well, director Dan Trachtenberg is back, and he's not just giving us one Predator film, but three! He's officially the first director to helm multiple movies in the franchise.
Trachtenberg, along with Prey screenwriter Patrick Aison, are the masterminds behind Predator: Badlands. But here's the kicker: Trachtenberg also spearheaded Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology movie co-written with Micho Robert Rutare and co-directed with Josh Wassung of The Third Floor animation company. Predator: Killer of Killers already dropped on Hulu earlier this year. Now, we're eagerly awaiting Predator: Badlands, slated for a theatrical release on November 7, 2025. We've been teased with trailers, each one ratcheting up the excitement.
And this is the part most people miss: Trachtenberg is not just retreading familiar ground. The newly released clip from IGN gives us a glimpse of what makes this installment so different. Forget the usual jungle warfare; our Predator is facing off against something truly… alien.
But what's the story really about? According to a casting call, Predator: Badlands centers on two twin sisters, Thia and Tessa, played by the amazing Elle Fanning. Their bond is tested as they embark on drastically different paths. Thia, who's spent most of her life in a lab, is described as incredibly smart, witty, and surprisingly naive, with a complete disregard for danger. Tessa, on the other hand, is fiercely dedicated to her family's mission, willing to let nothing – not even her own sister – stand in her way.
And here's where it gets controversial... The official synopsis reveals that the film is set on a remote planet in the future. A young, outcast Predator finds an unlikely ally in Thia, and together, they embark on a dangerous quest for the ultimate adversary. And get this: Thia has the Weyland-Yutani logo printed on her eyeballs. What does that even mean? Could this be a subtle connection to the Alien franchise? Are we looking at the beginning of a shared universe?
The film is produced by a powerhouse team including John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor. The lead Predator is brought to life by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.
Predator: Badlands promises to be a significant departure from previous Predator movies. It's a bold move, and it seems like Trachtenberg is aiming for something truly unique and memorable.
So, what do you think? Are you excited about this new direction for the Predator franchise? Are you intrigued by the tentacle monsters and the twin sisters dynamic? Does that Weyland-Yutani eyeball logo have you theorizing about a shared universe? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
