Dan Trachtenberg is now two for two in revitalizing the Predator franchise, having directed the critically acclaimed Prey (2022) and the 2025 animated feature Predator: Killer of Killers—breathing new life into a series that arguably hadn’t been well-received since Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in the original 1987 classic.
WWith the upcoming Predator: Badlands, Trachtenberg has the opportunity to go three for three—while also breaking new ground by making a Yautja the main character for the first time in a Predator feature film. His vision for the franchise has consistently been shaped by a deep-rooted passion for science fiction and character-driven storytelling, drawing from influences as varied as classic samurai cinema and the Predator graphic novels. But with Predator: Badlands, Trachtenberg also brings some unexpected inspirations into the mix.
“Jaws is one of my favorite movies of all time,” he explained in the latest issue of SFX Magazine, which touts Predator: Badlands on the cover. “It’s not my favorite horror movie. I don’t consider Jaws a horror movie. But when it’s scary, it’s fucking terrifying. When it’s funny, it’s hilarious. When there’s drama, it’s incredibly sincere and authentic. And then when there’s adventure, it’s high-seafaring adventure. It’s all things. It’s not one thing. It is excellent at all things. So this movie, in this tone, the Predator’s gotta be badass and ferocious and there’s going to be this fun thing with Thia and that’s gonna be funny, but also sincere and have a pulse of its own.”
Thia is an advanced Weyland‑Yutani synthetic, originally designed for bio-weapons research. In Predator: Badlands, she becomes an unlikely ally to Dek, a young exiled Yautja (Predator), accompanying him on a dangerous hunting mission. Director Dan Trachtenberg has likened their relationship to the dynamic between Wander and Mono from the cult classic 2005 PS2 game Shadow of the Colossus: one character provides emotional support and companionship to ease the other’s isolation. Dek is stoic and reserved, while Thia is talkative, witty, and capable in ways he is not—creating a partnership that is both emotionally resonant and complementary.
“This was a little bit inspired by that in terms of wanting to see the Predator with someone else, this kind of character with the opposite of him,” Trachtenberg continued. “He’s very laconic. She is not. She’s capable in ways that he is not. But also physically, she’s got a real thing that I’m so excited for you guys to see.”
Predator: Badlands, written and directed by Trachtenberg from a screenplay by Patrick Aison, is set to release on November 7th in theaters.
Do you find as interesting as we do how Jaws and Shadow of the Colossus helped shape the vision for Predator: Badlands? Do those inspirations make sense to you as a foundation for this new take on the Predator universe? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
