20th Century Studios
Over the course of just three years, Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg released THREE films in the franchise — Prey, the animated Predator: Killer of Killers, and Badlands — thus successfully reinvigorating and reinventing the series.
Speaking to BroBible’s Post Credit Podcast ahead of the streaming debut of Predator: Badlands on Disney+ on Thursday, February 12, director Dan Trachtenberg teased where he plans to take the franchise next after the Badlands mid-credits scene showed a ship being flown by Dek’s mother — after having just vanquished his father — menacingly hovering over the horizon.
Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg teases the villain in the sequel and how Dek’s mother will be bigger and badder than his father
BROBIBLE: If you made another sequel — your fourth Predator film — what would the plan be, especially regarding exploring a female Yautja? The suggestion felt like the mother is worse.
DAN: I can’t really go down the road too far right now, as that’s what I’m developing with the other filmmakers on the movie. But I think the way you assessed that is accurate. That is the intention. The mom is a pretty fierce thing to be reckoned with. Not much unlike the Alien Queen.
BROBIBLE: Have we ever gotten an explicitly female Yautja?
DAN: Only in the comics.
BROBIBLE: Are you pulling from that or doing your own thing?
DAN: Often I think I’m having an original idea and someone tells me it was in the comics. But from what I’ve seen, the portrayals aren’t how I’d approach it. I want to avoid tropes — especially how female warriors are often handled in fantasy.
BROBIBLE: Specifically?
DAN: Design-wise. Over-stylized armor. Exaggeration. That feels outdated.
BROBIBLE: Right, like, Yautja knockers — we don’t need those. Uhm…. where was I…
DAN: [laughing] Yautja knockers…
BROBIBLE: Completely threw me off!
Predator: Badlands will be available 2/12 on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD 2/17.