Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors
It’s a big galaxy out there, and in “Predator: Badlands,” directed by Dan Trachtenberg, it proves big enough that humans aren’t always the prey. For the first time in the film franchise’s history, instead of man vs. predator, the chief conflict will be man and predator vs. something much more dangerous. You can watch the trailer below.
Read More: John Cena and Idris Elba Reunite in Buddy Action Comedy ‘Heads of State’
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (“The Panthers”) stars as a young outcast predator alongside Elle Fanning (“Maleficent”), hunting down a shared enemy. Exactly who or what that enemy is, we don’t know, though we get a glimpse of some kind of dinosaur-sized creature charging the predator at the end of the trailer.
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in “Predator: Badlands”. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in “Predator: Badlands”. 20th Century Studios
The film is set in the future on an alien planet. This makes it the first time since the 2010s “Predators” that a filmmaker has chosen to take the action of a “Predator” film off Earth.
“I didn’t think you’d survive,” Fanning says early in the trailer. Later, she tells the predator, “You’re hunting something that can’t be killed.”
Fanning’s character raises some interesting questions. In one shot, we see her tangled up in a strange alien plant, and something mechanical seems to glaze over her eyes. Particularly considering the close association between the “Predator” and “Alien” franchises, could it be that she’s playing an android or something like it?
“Predator: Badlands” isn’t the only feature from the series coming out this year. Earlier this month, Hulu unveiled Trachtenberg’s secret “Predator” project – “Predator: Killer of Killers”. The animated anthology film will feature the so-called Yautja locking horns with Vikings, Japanese samurai, and even World War II pilots.
Dan Trachtenberg made a big splash with 2022’s “Prey”. The film starred Amber Midthunder as a young 18th-century Comanche woman trying to prove herself as a hunter when one of the galaxy’s greatest hunters comes calling. Acting largely as a standalone and streaming on Hulu, “Prey” expanded the boundaries of what a “Predator” movie could be.
Apparently, as a result, Trachtenberg has been given carte blanche with the franchise, and both “Badlands” and “Killer of Killers” are results. Not to mention that since “Prey” teases a sequel, many fans are still waiting for a “Prey 2”.
“Predator: Badlands” hits theaters on November 7. The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning.
More Movies:
‘The Matrix’ to be Re-Released In Theaters With Epic New Version
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Trailer Reveals Bloody First Look
