Director Dan Trachtenberg Discusses Predator: Badlands' Alien Antagonist and Inhabited Universe
Revamped Rewrite
Hey, yeah! Fresh off the press, 20th Century Studios just dropped a sneak peek of the new flick, Predator: Badlands. Instead of our usual human heroes fighting the big brutish Predator, this time around, he's the damn star! Picture this—the split-faced alien sorting out bizniz on an alien planet, taking down the local fauna.
In a juicy chat with BloodyDisgusting, director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg dished the deets on the flick's plot and main squeeze, Dek, a Predator outcast from Yautja Prime. Ya see, Dek's all mixed up in some nasty business on the supposed "Death Planet" of Kalisk. He's got his heart set on finding the ultimate enemy to show off his worth.
It seems Trachtenberg's aiming to treat Dek and his peeps with a good measure of respect, kinda like how Elvish was done in Lord of the Rings or Dothraki in Game of Thrones. The Yautja language was cooked up by a student of Paul Frommer, who crafted the Na'vi dialect for the Avatar movies, helping the director steer clear of too much lore and keep the focus on the story. In Trachtenberg's own words, "Badlands" wasn't made as a random adventure; it's got a clear purpose – to be unique, genre-specific, and turn the tables on the age-old Predator formula.
Thia, an android from Weyland-Yutani, plays a pivotal role in Dek's adventure. Thia's arc mirrors Dek's but takes a different path towards proving herself. Trachtenberg mentioned Frank Frazetta, Mad Max 2, and even Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus as influences, but here's the kicker: he wanted to create a bond between Dek, who's pretty quiet, and Thia, someone who's far from it. Thia brings "a real physical thing" to the table, but Trachtenberg's keeping mum on the nitty-gritty.
With a movie all about a Predator and an android pairing up, Trachtenberg's taking a bold shot – one he feels audiences will embrace. Mark your calendars – you can catch Predator: Badlands in theaters on November 7. For the diehard classic Predator buffs, no worries; the previous five movies are still in the mix. In that same interview, Trachtenberg talked about the film's visuals and Dex's creation, so be sure to check that out here.
Got more io9 news? Here ya go: Upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, the future of the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the new season of Doctor Who. Stay tuned, folks!
- binge-watchers on websites like Gizmodo and io9 might be interested in learning more about the unique language used in the upcoming Predator movie, Predator: Badlands, as it was crafted by a student of the person who created the Na'vi dialect for the Avatar movies.
- Apart from the upcoming flick Predator: Badlands, with its release date set for November 7, fans of movies-and-tv, particularly those following the entertainment world through sources such as io9, should also stay updated on upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek releases, the future of DC Universe on film and TV, and the new season of Doctor Who.
- When Predator: Badlands hits theaters on November 7, those who love the original Predator movies may want to revisit the previous five movies in the series or explore insightful discussions about the film's visuals and the creation of Dex, on websites like io9 or other entertainment-focused publications.
