Dan Trachtenberg Says His Paramount Deal Doesn’t End His PREDATOR Future
After delivering three seriously awesome Predator projects in a row, Dan Trachtenberg has become the creative force fans now trust to keep the franchise alive and moving forward. So when word dropped that Trachtenberg signed a first-look deal with Paramount, it sparked a little panic.
Disney owns Predator, not Paramount, so did this mean the director was done stalking the jungle with the Yautja? Short answer. No!
While promoting the home release of Predator: Badlands, Trachtenberg spoke with io9 and directly addressed the concern. When asked if the Paramount deal meant he’d never direct another Predator movie, he didn’t hedge.
“It does not mean that,” Trachtenberg said. So, that should calm some nerves. He made it clear that his brain is still very much locked onto thermal vision mode when it comes to the franchise.
“I am simultaneously figuring out all of the next steps for the Predator franchise,” he explained. “I’m in this moment that I was in when Prey came out, where I was like, ‘What do I do next?’ and got very excited about a Predator protagonist and got very excited about an animated movie with multiple time periods, and then they just happened to go at the same time. And so that’s where I’m at with Predator now, is, ‘Oh my God, there are so many exciting things we can do.'”
That’s a pretty wild place for fans to be. Animated Predator. Multiple timelines. New angles on the creature itself. None of that sounds like a filmmaker who’s closing the book.
At the same time, Trachtenberg is clearly energized by what his Paramount partnership offers creatively. That doesn’t cancel out Predator. It just means his plate is a bit more full.
“But also now I have this deal at Paramount where I’m thrilled, and they are thrilled to make some of the original movies that I’ve always had in my head and heart,” he said. “And of course, they also have very cool IP and all that. You know, timing may affect certain things, but both things are in my heart… Anything’s on the table.”
Paramount is home to franchises like Transformers, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Cloverfield, and Trachtenberg clearly sees opportunity there without abandoning what he’s built with Predator.
So, Predator fans can unclench a bit. Trachtenberg’s deal doesn’t end the hunt. It just means the next appearance of the galaxy’s most dangerous trophy hunter might take a little longer to line up. Regardless, I’m excited to see what Trachtenberg does next!