PREDATOR: BADLANDS Director Thinks a New ALIEN VS. PREDATOR Movie Will Happen Eventually
If you’ve been hoping to see Xenomorphs and Yautja tearing into each other on the big screen again, that may be coming. With Alien: Romulus bringing the acid drippers back into theaters and Predator: Badlands giving fans a fresh look at the iconic hunter in action, the idea of another crossover is exciting.
Now, Dan Trachtenberg, the director of Badlands, is sharing some thoughts that make the possibility feel a little more real.
Trachtenberg chatted with The Direct about where things stand with a potential new Alien Vs. Predator project. As of right now, nothing is actively in development, but he didn’t shy away from the idea that it could happen down the line. For him, it’s all about timing and care.
"For me, the coolest part of it would be grabbing these elements and letting them cook. You know, once again, we don't want to pull it out of the oven too quickly and have it all just be raw.
“We really want things to simmer and boil and get up to the perfect temperature. I don't know. I don't cook. Too many, too many terms now!"
Fans have been speculating ever since Badlands introduced a Weyland Yutani synthetic alongside its Predator lead. It felt like the movie was quietly threading the two franchises together again, but Trachtenberg insists the priority was simply telling the right story for this particular entry.
The director also opened up about why he wanted to blend in that Alien lore through Thia, played by Elle Fanning, and her synth crew. The dynamic between the Predator and this new supporting cast came from his desire to explore a different type of story after Prey.
"Idea number one was, because Prey was such a solo survival tale, I wanted this to be a relationship movie. Especially because we were going to have this Predator speaking in a different language and wanted to see it have a dynamic with something and interact, to get more of a window into its insides.
“Because it wasn't certainly going to voice them out loud. I wanted to pair him with something, and I knew if we put a human in the movie, then it becomes the human's movie, and he's just in it.
“And T2 already exists, you know? And it was really like, 'No, we've got to make sure that whatever else I put him in there with, he's still the protagonist.' And so I thought, a monster and a robot, there's something that's really fun about that."
It’s a fun explanation that shows just how much thought went into crafting something fresh while still honoring the worlds built by Predator and Alien storytellers.
Even without anything official on the table, It’s inevitable that Disney and 20th Century Studios will revisit the crossover. With modern filmmakers taking these franchises in exciting directions, the pieces are already sliding into place. If Trachtenberg is confident the idea will eventually evolve into a real movie, that’s enough to keep fans fired up.
For now, all we can do is wait and watch both franchises continue to grow, and I’m excited to see what it all leads to!