Director Dan Trachtenberg Discusses Predator: Badlands' Extraterrestrial Protagonist and Established Setting
Dive into the gritty, futuristic world of Predator: Badlands, a fresh take on the iconic franchise by 20th Century Studios. In this installment, the torch is passed to none other than the steel-jawed Predator himself who's locking horns with the opposition on a far-flung alien planet.
Dan Trachtenberg, the director and co-writer behind the film, opened the curtains on the plot in a revealing chat with BloodyDisgusting. The story follows Dek (brilliantly portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a teen outcast from hisPredator clan on Yautja Prime. You know, because being a runt tends to draw a crowd of haters even in intergalactic circles.
Determined to make a name for himself, Dek sets off in search of the ultimate adversary on the grim "Death Planet" of Kalisk. Sound familiar? Think Prey on steroids, minus the Native American backdrop. But Trachtenberg is clear, he intends to treat Dek and his kind with the much-deserved respect they deserve. After all, we're not talking about Boromir or Khaleesi here - we're talking Predator. Thankfully, the Yautja language is handled with the same reverence as "Elvish in Lord of the Rings" or "Dothraki for Game of Thrones" to avoid giving the wrong impression that this film is more lore-focused than story-driven.
Joining Dek on his quest for glory is Thia (Elle Fanning), an android engineered by the infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Her journey parallels Dek's, but with a plot twist that brings her arc into a whole new direction. Trachtenberg drew inspiration from eclectic sources such as Frank Frazetta and Mad Max 2, but what truly fascinated him was the depiction of Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus. Thia, a formidable ally, brings more to the table than just tech skills, but Trachtenberg loves to keep a lid on specifics.
According to Trachtenberg, this partnership between a Predator and an android is a "big, crazy swing" that he believes audiences will dig. If you're itching for some classic Predator action, the film is set to grace the big screen on November 7, 2025. If you can't quite wait, Trachtenberg delves deeper into visual aspects and the creation of Dex in the same interview which you can find here.
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- The upcoming movie 'Predator: Badlands' promises a fresh, gritty take on the franchise, with a new Predator protagonist locking horns with the opposition on an alien planet.
- Director Dan Trachtenberg, known for his work on 'Prey', has revealed that the story centers around Dek, a teenage outcast Predator from Yautja Prime, who embarks on a quest for glory on the death planet of Kalisk.
- In this movie, viewers can expect to see technology and futuristic elements, as Thia, an android engineered by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, joins Dek on his journey.
- Trachtenberg, in an interview with BloodyDisgusting, shared that he drew inspiration from various sources, including 'Mad Max 2' and 'Shadow of the Colossus', for the unique premise of a partnership between a Predator and an android.
- The collaboration between Dek and Thia is a "big, crazy swing" according to Trachtenberg, and the film is set to release in theaters on November 7, 2025.
- For fans of the entertainment world, keep up with the latest news on 'Marvel', 'Star Wars', 'Star Trek', and the DC Universe on the silver and small screen with io9 and Gizmodo.
