New ‘Predator’ Standalone Movie ‘Badlands’ in the Works With Director Dan Trachtenberg

A new standalone “Predator” movie is in the works at 20th Century Studios, with filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg set to direct.

Plot details for “Badlands,” which will be set in the future, are currently under wraps, but the film will begin production this year.

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Trachtenberg landed an Emmy nomination for his 2022 “Predator” prequel “Prey,” which follows a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation named Naru (Amber Midthunder) as she sets out to protect her people from a mysterious danger threatening their camp.

Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman reviewed the film positively in the scope of the franchise, writing, “As an alien-attack thriller, ‘Prey’ is competent and well-paced, though with little in the way of surprise. But the journey of Naru lends it a semblance of emotional coherence that most of the ‘Predator’ films have lacked.”

In 2022, Hulu reported that the film, which was released directly on the streamer, was its biggest-ever premiere, earning the most viewing hours in its first three days among all TV series and movies. It’s unclear at this time if “Badlands” will follow a similar release plan, or if it will play in theaters.

Trachtenberg will also serve as a director on the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things.” His other credits include “10 Cloverfield Lane,” the pilot for “The Boys” and “Black Mirror: Playtest.”

The first “Predator” film, from director John McTiernan, was released in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura as commandos being stalked by an alien in the jungle. It spawned three sequels: “Predator 2” (1990), “Predators” (2010) and “The Predator” (2018).

Trachtenberg is repped by CAA and Grandview. 20th Century Studios declined to comment.

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