PREDATOR: BADLANDS Director Dan Trachtenberg Reveals He Almost Directed GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY for Marvel

Before Prey reignited the Predator franchise and Predator: Badlands geared up to take things even further, Dan Trachtenberg was almost part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The filmmaker recently revealed that long before he stepped into the world of alien hunters, he was actually in the running to direct Guardians of the Galaxy for Marvel Studios, a job that would eventually go to James Gunn.

While chatting with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Trachtenberg opened up about how close he came to entering Marvel’s orbit.

“I like so many filmmakers of my generation and younger, who have made a movie that strikes a chord, have definitely met… I will say that I met a producer named Jeremy Latcham at [Marvel Studios] and [Kevin Feige], because of Jeremy, to meet for Guardians of the Galaxy before James Gunn.

“Based on my short film Portal, they were like, 'That’s creative, let’s find someone interesting and cool.’ I did not get the job, obviously, and rightfully so, but still so, so awesome.”

It’s wild to imagine how different the MCU might have looked if Trachtenberg had landed the gig. His knack for smart, grounded sci-fi storytelling seen in 10 Cloverfield Lane and later in Prey, could have brought a very different flavor to Marvel’s ragtag cosmic crew.

Of course, Gunn went on to make the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and a Holiday Special, turning the once-obscure team into one of Marvel’s most beloved properties.

Even though Trachtenberg didn’t get the job, it’s clear that Marvel had an eye on him early. Given his track record since then, it wouldn’t be surprising if he ends up back in talks with Kevin Feige and company down the line.

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 likely closing out Gunn’s Marvel run, there’s room for new creative blood to take on future cosmic adventures.

Meanwhile, Trachtenberg has unleashed Predator: Badlands, the latest chapter in the ever-evolving Predator universe. The film, starring Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, is set in the future on a deadly remote planet and follows a young Predator outcast who teams up with a human ally for a dangerous journey to find the ultimate adversary.

The movie continues the world-building that began in Prey and redefines what fans thought they knew about the Predator mythology.

Dan Trachtenberg may not have gotten his shot at Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but his creative path led him to something just as exciting with reshaping one of sci-fi’s most iconic franchises.