Badlands: A new “Predator” movie is being made by 20th Century Studios, and it will be directed by filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg.
Details about the plot of “Badlands” are currently a secret, but the movie, set in the future, will start filming this year.
Trachtenberg earned an Emmy nomination for his 2022 “Predator” prequel, “Prey,” which tells the story of Naru, a skilled warrior from the Comanche Nation, as she defends her people from a mysterious threat to their camp.
Owen Gleiberman, chief film critic at Cinematic World, gave the film a positive review within the context of the franchise. He described “Prey” as a competent and well-paced alien-attack thriller, albeit lacking surprises. However, he noted that Naru’s journey adds emotional coherence to the film, a quality often missing in previous “Predator” movies.
In 2022, Hulu announced that “Prey,” which premiered directly on the streaming platform, had the biggest-ever debut for them. It amassed the most viewing hours in its initial three days compared to all other TV series and movies on the platform. It’s not yet clear if “Badlands” will have a similar release strategy, whether it will debut on a streaming platform or have a theatrical release.
Trachtenberg will also be directing the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things.” Besides, he’s known for his work on projects like “10 Cloverfield Lane,” the pilot episode of “The Boys,” and “Black Mirror: Playtest.”
The original “Predator” movie, directed by John McTiernan, came out in 1987 and featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura as soldiers hunted by an alien in the jungle. It led to three sequels: “Predator 2” (1990), “Predators” (2010), and “The Predator” (2018).
