Summary
- Predator: Badlands hints at a potential Alien vs. Predator film with imagery in the trailer.
- The film introduces a Yautja protagonist teaming up with a Weyland-Yutani android.
- Predator: Badlands may be laying the groundwork for a future Alien vs. Predator film, or even secretly be one itself.
The first trailer for Predator: Badlands teases the upcoming sci-fi film, but subtle details may have larger implications for the franchise's future, with hints pointing toward another potential Alien vs. Predator film. The forthcoming Predator movie sees Prey director Dan Trachtenberg returning to the series, following his well-received installment, which many consider the best since the original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The director has called Predator: Badlands a "big, crazy swing" (via Bloody Disgusting), and the trailer shows he may be right in more ways than one.
Predator: Badlands is set to feature the franchise's first Yautja protagonist, Dek, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Elle Fanning costars as Thia, who was initially thought to be a human character, but has since been revealed as an android from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The film will see the two teaming up on a "Death Planet" called Kalisk, where they attempt to combat something that "can't be killed," as described by the characters. However, with Predator: Badlands featuring Weyland-Yutani imagery, it may be hinting at the next Alien vs. Predator movie.
Predator: Badlands - How Does a Yautja Protagonist Change The Franchise?
The next upcoming Predator film will center the alien trophy hunter as the main character, altering the narrative fans are used to.
An Intergalactic Rivalry: The Alien vs. Predator Films Explained
The Alien and Predator franchises have been crossing over for longer than moviegoers may be aware, beginning with comics in 1989. However, it was 1990's Predator 2 that featured a Xenomorph skull in a Predator trophy case, which was the first tease in a film. The alien creatures would continue to battle each other in comics and even video games, starting with the 1993 Super Nintendo game Alien vs. Predator. Still, their first bout on the big screen wouldn't occur until 2004.
Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson brought the first Alien vs. Predator film to life. The movie tells the story of an ancient pyramid buried under ice, where human archaeologists are caught between Yautja warriors seeking to prove themselves and their Xenomorph prey that begins to multiply. Alien vs. Predator also marked the first time the Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien franchise appeared in a Predator-related film.
A sequel followed in 2007 with Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, which was even less well-received than the critically panned first entry, squandering a story that introduced a Xenomorph born from a Yautja host, dubbed a Predalien. The Alien vs. Predator branding continued in video games, but Alien vs. Predator: Requiem effectively ended the film series, with no further crossover releases. However, that may all be about to change with Predator: Badlands.
What Is the Weyland-Yutani Corporation?
The Weyland-Yutani Corporation is a megacorporation from the Alien franchise, also known as "The Company." Its fictional run goes back to the 1979 Ridley Scott-directed classic Alien, with a lore that involves the merger of the British Weyland company and the Japanese Yutani corporation. Weyland-Yutani would continue to be mentioned throughout the film series. Lance Henriksen plays Charles Bishop Weyland in Alien vs Predator, a member of the company's pre-merger Weyland family, and Guy Pearce plays Peter Weyland, a later CEO, in Prometheus. The films would feature other Weyland-Yutani employees, like Paul Reiser's Carter Burke in Aliens. Still, their most recognizable contribution to the series is their androids, such as Thia in Predator: Badlands, as shown in the trailer.
Throughout the Alien franchise, there have been notable Weyland-Yutani androids. Henriksen played the iconic Bishop, Michael Fassbender played David, and Ian Holm portrayed Ash, with his likeness making an appearance in the recent Alien: Romulus. Androids in the Alien universe have often been seen as problematic by many characters, while being loved by corporate leaders who are keen on following through with callous orders. However, the Weyland-Yutani androids are purely from the Alien franchise, making their prominent appearance in the Predator: Badlands trailer carry real weight and implications toward the film's scope and world-building.
Dan Trachtenberg May Be Laying The Groundwork For Future Alien vs. Predator Films
The Weyland-Yutani symbol appears several times throughout the Predator: Badlands trailer. It is casually seen on the door of a destroyed truck, tucked away in the background, with a more prominent view in Thia's eye, confirming she is an android. This sets the film up as a Predator teaming up with an android from the Alien movies. This means that even if Xenomorphs aren't present, it still has the two franchises crossing over.
With Dek facing a threat that he needs help taking down, it's possible that Predator: Badlands is already an Alien vs. Predator film in disguise. Marvel has more than once duped audiences by digitally altering scenes in trailers, which ultimately hold much more when seen in the finished movie. Yhe forthcoming Predator film could be doing the same, with a Xenomorph threat being digitally removed to keep the reveal a secret. There is also a hissing sound towards the trailer's finale that may be teasing the sound of a Xenomorph.
Both Predator and Alien have projects in the works. This year sees the release of Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands, with the Alien: Earth TV series set to debut. A follow-up to Alien: Romulus is also being developed, which means the future is bright for both franchises. With Disney owning the rights to both franchises, the numerous planned releases, and hints toward larger plans, it's clear they are laying the groundwork for projects to crossover between the classic sci-fi extraterrestrials. Audiences may see an Alien vs. Predator film sooner than they think, with Predator: Badlands setting the stage and likely hiding even more reveals for its release later this year.
Predator: Badlands
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- November 5, 2025
- Runtime
- 107 minutes
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Writers
- Dan Trachtenberg, Patrick Aison, John Thomas, Jim Thomas
Cast
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Elle FanningThia / Tessa -
Dimitrius Schuster-KoloamatangiDek / Father -
Rohinal NayaranBud
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Michael HomickKwei (Suit)
