How Predator: Badlands’ Setting Breaks A Franchise Trend

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Director Dan Trachtenberg says his new film, Predator: Badlands, does something different from previous movies in the Predator series. The film comes out November 7th and will be a key test for the franchise. It’s the first Predator movie released in theaters since 2018.

The new series, Badlands, has a good starting point with popular actress Elle Fanning in a leading role, and it features the familiar Predator creatures. Director Trachtenberg previously made two successful Predator movies for Hulu, Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, which have been praised by audiences.

During a discussion at a special IMAX screening of Predator: Badlands hosted by ScreenRant’s Todd Gilchrist, director Trachtenberg discussed what makes his film unique. Gilchrist pointed out that previous Predator movies usually take place in tropical environments, and Trachtenberg responded by describing the Yautja as “a nomadic culture.”

The setting allowed Predator: Badlands to feature a story in a dry, dusty environment. The director considered it a very different type of project than he’d done before. New Zealand’s varied scenery was key to making this vision a reality. You can find the director’s complete statement below.

The early ‘Predator’ films really emphasized the creatures arriving in lush, tropical environments. I’m curious, how much did that initial setting influence your vision of the Yautja’s home planet? The beginning of this movie presents something totally new, and I was wondering if that contrast – the idea of them traveling from a harsh, desolate world to hunt in places like Earth – played a role in your decision to design such a barren and challenging landscape for their homeworld.

Dan Trachtenberg wanted to establish the Predators as a people who constantly move and are self-reliant, like those in Western films, and to visually separate their home world from the lush, jungle-like planets they typically visit. He intentionally chose New Zealand as a filming location specifically to avoid another jungle setting, as forests are often linked to fantasy and jungles to science fiction. New Zealand offered a unique blend of both, allowing him to create a more visually striking and dangerous landscape with open fields, unusual plant life, and other distinctive features.

The recent Predator films have consistently shown that the Yautja—the alien hunters—have been present on Earth throughout history. Predator: Killer of Killers really emphasized this, demonstrating their existence in various times and places, including feudal Japan, the Viking age, and 1940s America.

Trachtenberg is also working to refresh the Predator series. With his first film, Prey, he decided to tell the story from the perspective of a Comanche warrior.

With Predator: Badlands, the series is moving in a new direction. Director Trachtenberg explains that by moving away from the traditional tropical setting, the film has a noticeably different visual style compared to previous installments. While it still features the Yautja, the new environment makes Badlands feel like a fresh and unique entry in the Predator franchise.

Recent movies in the Predator series have been surprisingly popular with critics. For example, Prey received a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Killer of Killers even scored higher at 95%. The newest installment, Predator: Badlands, is also getting positive reviews, currently holding an 87% rating.

Trachtenberg consistently brings fresh ideas to the Predator series, and his latest film, Predator: Badlands, is no exception. After successfully creating the first animated Predator movie and then revitalizing the franchise with Prey, he’s now exploring a new direction by focusing on the nomadic lifestyle of the Yautja in a harsh, desert setting.

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2025-11-06 16:11