When Dan Trachtenberg’sPreywas first released on Hulu in 2022, the film received plenty of praise for its unique setting, relentless action, and bloody thrills. However, one common complaint could actually be taken as a compliment to the film’s quality—that it should have gone straight to theaters, rather than streaming. Now, Trachtenberg is back with a new installment in the franchise calledPredator: Badlands, and the first trailer for the movie has been released. The preview teases plenty of action along with the theatrical release thatPredatorfans have been clamoring for since Prey graced the small screen three years ago.
More than just the reveal of a theatrical release, the first trailer forPredator: Badlands(which can be viewed below) teases an entirely new setting and unconventional premise. WhereasPreytook place during the 1700s,Badlandsis set in the future on a remote planet, with the protagonist of the film seemingly being a Predator Hunter on an unknown mission. That doesn’t mean the movie will lack a human-like protagonist, as Elle Fanning plays Thia, a young woman who becomes an ally to this seemingly outcast Predator. However, it seems that Fanning is also playing an android from the Weyland-Yutani corporation, a direct connection to theAlienfranchise.
The ‘Predator: Badlands’ Trailer Just Revealed a Major ‘Alien’ Franchise Connection
The teaser for ‘Predator: Badlands’ has seemingly confirmed it takes place in the same universe as the ‘Alien’ franchise.
Most films in thePredatorseries feature the titular aliens battling each other or humans, with Robert Rodriguez’sPredatorsfilm being the only one set on their home planet, where the human cast is captured as prey. However, the trailer forBadlandsshowcases the Predator at the center of the film taking on exotic new monsters and even a kaiju-sized beast in the clear money shot for the trailer.
‘Predator: Badlands’ Is Getting the Theatrical Treatment It Deserves
Preyhad one of its few theatrical screenings at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, showcasing the film’s cinematic power, which was unfortunately limited to a Hulu release. While the movie received a home video release in the form of a Blu-ray, the box office potential of the franchise’s first well-received entry in years was never realized. Now, thePredator: Badlandstrailer was sure to emphasize that it will be shown in all premium format theaters, including IMAX.
The large-scale battles and hunts teased in the trailer are fitting for premium formats, especially now thatBadlandswill feature a Predator hunting extraterrestrial beings that have only ever been alluded to in previous films. There’s also the fact that it’s a Predator that is the primary focus of the film, being given a more empathetic viewpoint than Predators of the past. Overall, Trachtenberg seems to be trying out something entirely new rather than going back to the formula that worked so well withPrey.
ThePredatorfranchise seems to be alive and well again, withBadlandsreceiving a theatrical release and an animated film,Predator: Killer of Killers, set for release on streaming on Jun. 6 this year. There have also been teases from filmmakers likeFede Álvarez about bringing thePredatorandAlienfranchisesback together again, making it feel like there’s a bright future ahead for sci-fi horror IPs that had been struggling just a few years prior.
Source:20th Century Studios
Predator: Badlands
