Predator: Badlands’ new trailer shows off much more of the movie, reveals even more connections to the Alien franchise, and even teases a big mech fight.
Dan Trachtenberg, who directed Prey and this year’s well-received animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers, will continue the Predator (and Alien) resurgence with Predator: Badlands, due out November 7.
In the trailer, we see Elle Fanning’s surprisingly chirpy Thia strike up an alliance with Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s young Predator, outcast from his clan. We see Thia (at least, we think this is Thia), rebooted after what looks like a fight with some sort of monster. Thia is a Weyland-Yutani synth from the nefarious company’s bio-weapons division, and we later see her make mincemeat out of an alien foe.
The problem is, Thia has been cut in half, and must be carried by the Yautja as he seeks out what is described as “a creature that can’t be killed” and “the definitive apex predator” (is it a xenomorph?!).
There’s plenty of action here and, in the final shot, another Alien reference as a mech makes a dramatic entrance to fight a giant monster (Aliens Power Loader, anyone?). Thia teases this mech’s introduction by saying: “We might not be alone in this hunt.” Who is she talking about? Who is piloting the mech?
The new Predator is called Dek, an underdog Yautja “runt” in the protagonist role. Predator movies typically feature Yautja (the name given to the race of alien hunters) in antagonist roles. Dek selects his hunting ground, a “Death Planet” called Kalisk, and it’s here he fights to prove his worth to his father and for acceptance within his own clan. In the trailer we hear Dek speak, insisting he’s not the prey here (it looks like he is, at least for a time).
Trachtenberg has said the on-screen relationship between Dek and Fanning’s character was inspired by 2005 PlayStation masterpiece Shadow of the Colossus.
“As inspired as I am by movies, I’ve been very inspired by video games [like] Shadow of the Colossus, where you have a protagonist paired with someone else who provides color and connection,” Trachtenberg explained.
“There’s a thing with a horse in Shadow of the Colossus that’s devastating when you play the game. And so [Predator: Badlands] was a little bit inspired by that in terms of wanting to see the Predator with someone else, this character who’s the opposite of him. He’s very laconic, [Fanning] is not. She’s capable in ways that he is not. Physically, she’s got a real thing that I’m so excited for you guys to see. But I want to let eventually some of that speak for itself.”
There are a number of other Alien references in the Predator: Badlands trailer, as well in the recently released animated film Predator: Killer of Killers, which had sparked speculation Trachtenberg is setting up Aliens vs. Predator 3. Trachtenberg was, as you’d expect, tight-lipped on those Alien connections and Fanning’s character’s nature. “There’s a unique hook to her character that is exciting in the pairing of [her and Dek],” Trachtenberg teased.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
