Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Movies | Tagged: 20th century studios, film, predator, Predator: Badlands

Predator Director on Dan Trachtenberg's Contributions to the Franchise

The Predator director says Prey saved the franchise and backs filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg ahead of the release of Predator: Badlands.

Decades after the conception of the Predator franchise, the film series has navigated clear highs and much-needed course corrections. Early on, the 1987 original set a pretty high sci-fi standard, while later sequels and crossovers repeatedly stretched the concept with mixed results. And more recently, the 2022 Hulu film Prey snapped the series back into focus with a lean survival story and a confident point of view. Now, a filmmaker from a previous (and somewhat polarizing) entry is giving credit where it's due, arguing that the success of Prey essentially revived the franchise's shot at longevity.

The Predator Director Praises Dan Trachtenberg's Work on Prey

When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Shane Black explained his current stance on the franchise, admitting that, "[Prey director] Dan Trachtenberg saved that franchise." He then adds, "His work is impeccable. I saw Prey, and all I could do was say, 'Sir, my hat's off. [It] was a really great mythic take. I feel like an audience member now, and I'm just happy to see whatever he does. So, yeah, I'm happy that the franchise is still humming, and he's the right shepherd for it."

Across eight feature entries released to date (Predator, Predator 2, two Alien vs. Predator films, Predators, The Predator, Prey, and the 2025 animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers), the series has already experimented with a variety of timelines, tones, and formats. Next up is Predator: Badlands, also directed by Trachtenberg and due in theaters on November 7, 2025.

Set largely from the Predator point of view, the upcoming film follows Dek, a young Yautja outcast on his first hunt. It introduces Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic portrayed by Elle Fanning. Early trailer/marketing material tease the film as a cultural and planetary deep dive into Yautja society, expanding the lore while threading connections to the wider Alien universe (without bringing in a Xenomorph this time around). So, given the success of Prey and Trachtenberg's return, the long-running film series is already setting the stage for a solid re-entry into the world of Predator, and to some extent, Alien.

Are you looking forward to the release of Predator: Badlands?

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