I can’t believe that the day is finally coming when the Predator will actually be the protagonist rather than the antagonist! The first official teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands is here, and thanks to director Dan Trachtenberg, this dream will be made true this year.
Starring Elle Fanning in what appears to be a complex role, the trailer reveals that Predator: Badlands takes place offworld on an alien planet where Fanning’s character seems destined to form an unlikely alliance with an outcast Predator warrior.
The teaser, which first debuted at Disney’s CinemaCon presentation, showcases the Predator engaging in several battles across beautiful alien landscapes. We see the infamous hunter escaping poisonous plant smoke, fighting a mysterious opponent with a glowing sword, and even facing off against a massive furry kaiju-like creature.
Staying faithful to its R-rating, the trailer doesn’t shy away from the franchise’s signature violence, featuring green blood, amputated limbs, and brutal takedowns.
There’s also one scene that shows the Predator’s trophy room (reminiscent of Predator 2) with a T-Rex skull mounted as a trophy instead of the Xenomorph skull fans might remember from earlier films.
Meanwhile, Fanning’s character is shown riding across desert terrain on a speeder and appears to access some form of mysterious powers (and the Weyland-Yutani logo in her eyes) while being pursued by militia forces.
Throughout the trailer, she provides narrative voiceover about the Predator’s hunt, suggesting their eventual team-up. Since she’s been confirmed to be a Weyland-Yutani android, there’s a good chance that this is a prequel to an Alien x Predator crossover. A man can dream, can’t he?
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Trachtenberg explained, “The creature is front and center, leading the charge. He’s still badass, but there’s something there that touches you emotionally, too.” He added that his goal was “pushing the franchise’s boundaries, letting us root for a hero we rarely get to root for.”
Meanwhile, Fanning has teased that “something unprecedented happens in this movie,” leading to speculation that she might play multiple roles or perhaps have a deeper connection to the Predator character.
Whatever the case, I’m very pumped for what Trachtenberg has in store for us after giving us the underrated Prey in 2022.
Predator: Badlands will hit theaters on November 7 and will be the second Predator project from Trachtenberg this year, following the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers, which arrives on Hulu on June 6.
