The Hollywood Reporter reports that filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg and 20th Century Studios are in talks to produce a new Predator film.
Trachtenberg, who received an Emmy nod for his 2022 Predator film ‘Prey’, is returning to the sci-fi action horror genre to direct a new installment.
The latest Predator picture, named ‘Badlands’, is not a sequel to Prey, which was set in 1719 and revolved around a young Comanche woman having to fight for existence against extraterrestrial predators, but rather a whole new plot. Plot details are kept hidden, but this one is said to be set in the future. It will have a female lead, as did ‘Prey’.
Trachtenberg, like Prey, worked on the story with Patrick Aison, who wrote the screenplay. The project has been in the works for some time and is nearly finished, with a July production start date anticipated.
Badlands isn’t the only Predator project in development. Prey’s surprise appeal went beyond critics and spectators, rejuvenating the franchise. The company is now working on several Predator projects, with Trachtenberg leading the way.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century did not respond.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura feature in ‘Predator,’ a muscle-bound action picture from 1987 about soldiers being hunted through a jungle by a terrifying alien. The film, directed by John McTiernan, served to cement Schwarzenegger’s celebrity status. Three sequels followed, including ‘Predator 2’ (1990), ‘Predators’ (2010), and ‘The Predator’ (2018), with ‘Prey’ functioning as a prequel. The IP has also inspired popular comic books (Marvel Comics produced Predator vs Wolverine last year) and video games.
When Prey premiered on Hulu, it was a huge streaming success, breaking new marks for the platform. The picture, however, was originally planned for theatrical release.
When Prey premiered on Hulu, it was a huge streaming success, breaking new marks for the platform. The picture, however, was originally planned for theatrical release. This, however, changed following 20th Century Fox’s acquisition by Disney; according to sources, the Fox-owned studio had an output agreement with HBO, meaning that Prey would have gone to a competitor company after its theatrical release.
With strengthening streaming services during The Streaming Wars, and the epidemic still wreaking havoc at the box office, new owner Disney thought that releasing the picture on Hulu would be the best option.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dan Trachtenberg piqued Hollywood’s interest with 2016’s ’10 Cloverfield Lane’, a suspenseful and claustrophobic installment in the JJ Abrams-produced ‘Cloverfield’ film series.