As a lifelong fan of both Alien and Predator franchises, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement when it comes to the upcoming releases – especially Predator: Badlands. Having grown up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic portrayal of Dutch in the original 1987 Predator film, I must admit that I was left underwhelmed by the more recent attempts to revive this sci-fi horror classic. But with Shane Black’s The Predator and now Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands, it seems that the Predator series is finally finding its footing once again.
The Predator series, having emerged from its turbulent history, seems to be regaining its original essence. With five primary installments and two collaborations with the Alien series already under its belt, it appears that this intellectual property is on the path of rejuvenation. The acclaimed 2022 film Prey has sparked renewed curiosity about the Predator brand, and director Dan Trachtenberg is returning to hopefully build upon this revived interest.
In addition to an upcoming ‘secret’ Predator film in 2025, the release of Predator: Badlands promises sci-fi horror enthusiasts a double dose of Predator movies within a single year. The long 20-year gap between Predator 2 from 1990 and Predators from 2010 seems almost forgotten now. Despite some concerns about the franchise becoming overly saturated, Predator: Badlands is generating significant buzz due to its intriguing plotline.
Predator: Badlands Delivers a Franchise First
The Predator franchise is consistently expanding its horizons. From the dense rainforests depicted in the original film to the urban landscape of Los Angeles in Predator 2, it has also ventured into alien worlds and the Great Plains during 1719, offering insights into humanity’s initial encounter with the Yautja (Predator) species. The specifics about Predator: Badlands are yet to be fully revealed, with a brief summary merely stating its basic plot.
An extraordinary movie that explores the complex relationship between two dissimilar sisters. Their family bonds are stretched to their limits as they each embark on distinct journeys and missions, following paths that diverge.
Following in the footsteps of bringing big-name stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover into its franchise, Elle Fanning is set to headline the film, Badlands. At this time, details about the storyline are scarce, except that Fanning will be portraying multiple characters, and there’s a hint that the Predator character may even serve as a main figure.
Similar to the Alien series where humans are pursued by the bloodthirsty Xenomorphs, the Predator movies have often portrayed a human hero trying to elude capture by an extraterrestrial hunter. In an interview with Empire, Trachtenberg revealed that the Predator itself will take center stage as the main character in this upcoming film.
The central figure is taking the forefront, spearheading the advance. He’s as tough as nails, yet carries an emotional depth that resonates deeply. Crafting a character who evokes both empathy and fear has proven to be quite a challenge, but one that thrills at the same time.
It’s uncertain how this will impact Fanning’s character or if she might become the antagonist, but it seems like “Predator: Badlands” may follow the pattern of empathetic villains seen in characters like Loki and Killmonger from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In contrast to the “Alien vs Predator” films that generally present the Xenomorphs as the main antagonists, the standalone “Predator” movies usually depict the Predators as the villains. However, various comic books and additional media have offered a more complex perspective on these interstellar hunters.
As a gamer, I’ve always seen the big-screen Predators as villains, but in Paul W. S. Anderson’s “Alien vs. Predator,” there was a hint of sympathy towards the Predator character. Sanaa Lathan’s Lex, my character in this scenario, formed an alliance with the Predator to combat the Xenomorph threat. Interestingly, the Predators aren’t necessarily portrayed as evil. In the original film, the Predator accepted defeat with a ritualistic suicide, and in “Predator 2,” the Yautja species rewarded Danny Glover’s Detective Harrigan after he took down one of their own. Even in the 2010’s “Predators,” Adrien Brody’s Royce collaborated with a Predator to find a way back to Earth, demonstrating that they aren’t always hostile.
The Predator Series is Back On Top
Although John McTiernan’s “Predator” was released in 1987, it tends to be overshadowed in comparison to the “Alien” franchise when it comes to popularity. Despite some controversial installments like “Alien: Resurrection” from 1997, it generally received more favorable responses than “The Predator,” which came out in 2018 and was marred by production issues, including multiple confusing alternate endings that featured proposed appearances of Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley from “Alien”, and even Newt as part of the abandoned sequel to “Aliens” directed by Neil Blomkamp.
Alongside modest earnings at the box office, Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox left uncertainty about the future of the franchise. While discussions hinted at The Predator paving the way for two follow-ups, Trachtenberg steered the Predators towards a distinct path with Prey. In a manner reminiscent of Ridley Scott revitalizing Alien with Prometheus and Fede Álvarez with Alien: Covenant, Prey has rejuvenated the IP.
Regardless of the massive popularity of Prey, the release of Predator: Badlands on traditional theaters is still a significant achievement. This marks the franchise’s comeback to cinemas since The Predator, and there are high expectations that it could earn something close to the $350 million box office of Romulus. If it proves successful, there’s a strong possibility it may pave the way for a sequel, much like Romulus did.
Alvarez has shown enthusiasm about collaborating with Trachtenberg again on a new “Alien vs Predator” film. He conveyed this desire to Deadline.
Perhaps it would be an interesting collaboration if we were to split the directorial duties, much like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez did for “From Dusk Till Dawn”. I could handle one half of the project, while you take charge of the other.
2025 could be a significant year for the “Predator” franchise with the releases of “Badlands” and the “Predator” movie, often referred to as secret. Fans are eagerly anticipating a possible connection between “Badlands” and the cliffhanger ending of “Predators,” especially if it revisits the Game Preserve planet during their hunting expeditions.
There’s still an element of ‘classic’ Predator thanks to Fanning’s casting, which serves as the confirmation that Badlands will still have a human focus. Still, with promises that audiences will be able to view the movie through the eyes of the titular monster and “root for a hero we rarely get to root for,” it should offer a unique perspective. Despite all the love for Romulus, it was still a fairly classic Alien movie where a small crew is hunted down by Xenomorphs. Prey delivered something wildly different, and it sounds like the Predator series will continue to try new ideas. In an era when experimental horror is proving popular, could Predator even overtake Alien in terms of popularity?
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2024-11-24 18:05