Trachtenberg Discusses Predator: Badlands' Extraterrestrial Protagonist and Environments
Unleashing Predator: Badlands
Get ready, folks! This week, 20th Century Studios is serving us a fresh twist with Predator: Badlands. In a break from the norm, the iconic split-faced alien is front and center, wreaking havoc on an alien planet while battling opposing forces.
Recent chatter with BloodyDisgusting gave us some juicy spoilers about the flick, courtesy of director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg. The central character of this lunar escapade is the feisty Dek (played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), an outcast from his Yautja Prime clan, constantly in search of an ultimate enemy on the supposed "Death Planet" of Kalisk, hoping to secure his eulogy in the annals of his clan's history.
Much like the movie Prey, Trachtenberg aims to take Dek and his cohorts seriously, treating their language as if it were "Elvish in Lord of the Rings or Dothraki for Game of Thrones." To ensure accuracy, he enlisted the help of a student of Paul Frommer, the genius behind the Na'vi dialect for the Avatar films, helping him avoid turning the movie into a lore-focused rather than story-focused extravaganza. Trachtenberg describes Badlands as a deliberate production, quite distinct from its predecessors, and "very genre, very specific."
A significant figure in Dek's journey is Thia (Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani android designed to mirror Dek's journey but diverge at the brink of self-validation. Trachtenberg cited various influences, including Frank Frazetta and Mad Max 2, but for the two leads, he found inspiration in Team Ico's Shadow of the Colossus. Badlands was inspired by a "devastating scene with a horse," according to Trachtenberg, "in terms of wanting to see a Predator with someone else who provides color and connection." Besides her tech chops, Thia brings "a real physical thing" to the table, though Trachtenberg remained tight-lipped on specifics.
Developing an entire movie around the Predator and his android buddy is a "big, crazy swing," one that Trachtenberg thinks audiences could embrace. Set your calendars for November 7, when Predator: Badlands graces screens, while fans of classic Predator stories can catch up on the previous five flicks. In the same interview, Trachtenberg discussed the film's visuals and the creation of Dex, which you can read all about here.
Keep your eyes peeled for the latest updates on Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's brewing in the DC Universe on the big and small screen, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Sources:
[1] https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3710669/predator-badlands-fills-victory-dinosaur-space-director-dan-trachtenberg-explains/[2] https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3697411/exclusive-predator-badlands-officially-unveiled-with-bloody-disgusting-cover-by-artist-just-jim-full-image-revealed/[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_(franchise)[4] https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmohrman/2022/10/17/predator-badlands-thia-ellevanning/
- The iconic alien Predator is set to take center stage in the upcoming movie 'Predator: Badlands' by 20th Century Studios.
- Dek, portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is the feisty central character in this lunar adventure, seeking an ultimate enemy on the supposed "Death Planet" of Kalisk for Yautja Prime clan recognition.
- Director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg, in a discussion with BloodyDisgusting, mentioned that he aims to treat the language of the characters in 'Predator: Badlands' seriously, similar to Elvish in 'Lord of the Rings' or Dothraki in 'Game of Thrones'.
- To ensure accuracy, Trachtenberg enlisted the help of a student of Paul Frommer, known for creating the Na'vi dialect for the 'Avatar' films, to avoid making the movie overly lore-focused.
- Elle Fanning plays Thia, a Weyland-Yutani android who mirrors Dek's journey but diverges at the brink of self-validation in 'Predator: Badlands'.
- Trachtenberg was inspired by Team Ico's 'Shadow of the Colossus' for the characters of Dek and Thia, promising a "real physical thing" alongside Thia's tech skills. The movie 'Predator: Badlands' will release on Nov 7, and fans can stay updated on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and 'Doctor Who' releases through various sources, including iO9, Gizmodo, and Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and 'Doctor Who' sections.
