Director Dan Trachtenberg Discusses Predator: Badlands' Extraterrestrial Protagonist and Imagined Setting
New and Improved Predator Adventure
Get ready for a fresh spin on the Predator saga with the upcoming movie, Predator: Badlands. In this exciting reboot, the iconic alien hunter takes center stage, battling foes on an alien planet and leaving behind the familiar human victims.
During a chat with BloodyDisgusting, director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg unveiled some tantalizing tidbits about the film's storyline. The young Predator protagonist named Dek (portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is an outcast from his clan on Yautja Prime, yearning for glory and recognition by seeking out the ultimate adversary stowed away on the infamous "Death Planet" of Kalisk [1].
Akin to the hit series Prey, Trachtenberg aims to treat Dek and his people with respect, giving their Yautja language the same consideration as "Elvish in Lord of the Rings or Dothraki for Game of Thrones"[2]. To accomplish this, the language was crafted by a student of Paul Frommer, known for creating the Na'vi dialect for the Avatar flicks and ensuring that Badlands steered clear of excessive lore and stuck to a compelling storyline [2].
Thia, an android crafted by Weyland-Yutani, played by Elle Fanning, plays a significant role in Dek's quest [1]. Their journeys intertwine, with Thia's arc echoing Dek's, but eventually diverging into a "different branch of proving oneself"[2]. Influenced by Frank Frazetta and Mad Max 2, Trachtenberg notes that Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus served as inspiration for the relationship between the two characters [2].
Predator: Badlands promises a unique, high-stakes adventure that's a "big, crazy swing" [1]. Catch the movie in theaters on November 7, 2025, or satisfy your craving for classic Predator stories with the previous five films [1]. In his interview with BloodyDisgusting, Trachtenberg also delves into the film's visuals and the creation of Dex, so be sure to check it out here.
Keep up with the latest news on upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the future of Doctor Who, and the DC Universe [4].
- For fans of futuristic movies and technology, make sure to read the interview with Dan Trachtenberg on the visuals and creation of Dex in the upcoming Predator movie, 'Predator: Badlands', on io9's entertainment section, 'movies-and-tv'.
- Aside from 'Predator: Badlands',, you can also discover other exciting stories at Gizmodo, such as the exploration of how the Yautja language in 'Predator: Badlands' was developed to ensure authenticity, mirroring the approach to Elvish in 'Lord of the Rings' or Dothraki in 'Game of Thrones'.
- In the future, continue to follow io9 and Gizmodo for the latest updates on movies, technology, and entertainment, including upcoming movies like 'Predator: Badlands', the return of popular franchises like 'Star Wars' and 'Star Trek', and the adventures of the new Doctor in 'Doctor Who'.
