How Predator: Badlands Brought the Beast to Life in All-New Ways

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In the classic movie Predator from 1987, the terrifying title character was portrayed using a traditional technique involving an actor in a menacing costume. Given that the creature often lurked in the shadows throughout the film, this method worked well because seeing less of the monster made us more frightened. Over the years, technology has enabled the Yautja species to be depicted in various ways, and for the upcoming movie Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg employed several techniques to most effectively bring the creature to life. The new film is scheduled for release on November 7th.

During a press event, Trachtenberg explained that in this new version of the “Predator” movie, they aimed to do something different with the creature. What’s unique about the Predator is its practical suit effects, a pioneering aspect in filmmaking. However, when testing for this film, they noticed that, as a horror character, it usually emerges from shadows briefly and remains cloaked for extended periods. In contrast, this movie aims to make viewers connect with the main character, Dek, rather than keeping the Predator hidden in the shadows.

I added, “Regrettably, the rotors inside the mask that characterizes the Predator not only shape the creature’s entire physicality, influencing how people move, but they lack the flexibility to draw us in and connect with the creature. Our aim was to foster a bond with a grotesque-appearing creature. The approach was having an actor in a suit, with the suit being the main focus, except for his face which is entirely digital, primarily managed by Wētā Workshop.

Fortunately, the experiences garnered from working on the successful series “Prey“, afforded Trachtenberg fresh perspectives on the most effective strategies for tackling the beast.

The director elaborated on something I omitted earlier, which I find fascinating regarding our approach to rendering faces – in ‘Prey’, we often enhanced certain scenes extensively. There was a blend of practical and digital effects, such as manipulating props in his hands or picking up objects that might go unnoticed. Regrettably, some aspects were slightly noticeable. This was particularly true when we transitioned to a face that transformed into a creature’s face. What makes our current work unique is that the digital elements are designed to align seamlessly with the costumes.

He explained, “Instead of resembling actual creature skin, it’s aligning with his costume, which Wētā designs exceptionally well to give an alien feel. However, it’s slightly distinct from fully computer-generated characters such as Gollum or any other alien in films like Alien. The difference lies in the fact that the suit’s appearance is different from actual flesh. This allows the face to seamlessly blend with the costume quality, giving the impression of real material.

Predator: Badlands, a future-set sci-fi movie featuring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, follows the story of a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatangi), ostracized from his tribe, who forms an unexpected alliance with Thia (Fanning). Together, they venture on a perilous quest to confront their greatest foe. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor.

Predator: Badlands hits theaters on November 7th.

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2025-04-23 20:14