Predator: Badlands Director Reveals Why He Didn’t Simply Want To Make ‘Prey 2,’ And He Makes A Good Point

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I’m really looking forward to *Predator: Badlands*, one of the most interesting movies coming out in 2025. What’s especially cool is that this film will focus on the Predator itself as the main character – something we haven’t seen before. Director Dan Trachtenberg has said he wants to do something different than just a sequel to *Prey*, and that’s a smart approach.

Recently, Adam Trachtenberg discussed with Empire why he didn’t simply release *Prey 2* as is. He explained his decision wasn’t about avoiding what people expected, but rather about staying true to the elements that made the original *Prey* successful. He shared with Empire:

Your first thought might be ‘Prey 2,’ but with sequels, it’s easy to get focused on *what* could happen next without considering *if* it should. What made the original Prey stand out was its completely fresh concept. I wanted any follow-up to be equally innovative and original.

Let me quickly recap Prey, the previous Predator film directed by the same filmmaker. It was a really smart move to set a Predator story in the past – specifically, 1719 on the Great Plains. The movie follows a young Comanche warrior who steps up to defend her people from this incredibly dangerous alien hunter. What I loved about it was how different it felt – it was brave, original, and didn’t rely on a ton of existing lore. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, it’s worth checking out on Hulu.

With Badlands, Trachtenberg is once again chasing that kind of originality. He continued:

In general, I’m always looking for: what could happen only in this movie?

The first trailer for *Badlands* suggests the film is a bold departure for the franchise. Unlike the realistic survival story of *Prey*, *Badlands* promises a large-scale, action-packed adventure with monsters. The director describes it as a “buddy-comedy,” focusing on the unusual partnership between the characters Dek and Thia as they travel through alien landscapes. It’s being envisioned as a blend of classic monster movie effects, reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen, and a sci-fi road trip – a completely new direction for the series.

Many dedicated fans were concerned the new movie would make the story less intense – either by changing the main character or making the Predator seem less threatening. However, they can be reassured that the Predator remains a formidable and dangerous foe. As the director explained:

We aimed to make Dek a character audiences could connect with, but we didn’t want him to be a typical hero like Luke Skywalker. He’s still a Predator, so he needed to have some rough edges, but ultimately, we wanted him to be someone viewers would still support.

Following the film *Badlands* and the highly praised animated series *Predator: Killer of Killers* (coming to TV in 2025), the team behind these projects is clearly reimagining the *Predator* franchise. They’re aiming for something beyond simple sequels-something truly unique, inventive, and daring. As *Prey* demonstrated, when they take these kinds of risks, they succeed.

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We likely won’t be seeing *Prey 2*, and honestly, that might be a good thing for the *Predator* series. The most memorable sequels, like *Aliens* and *Terminator 2: Judgment Day*, were successful because they took risks and tried new things. This new direction could be exactly what *Predator* needs, and I’m excited to see what happens when *Prey* (titled *Badlands* in theaters) comes out on November 7th.

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2025-09-23 02:26