‘Predator: Badlands’ Director Teases—Will Xenomorphs Appear?
Predator: Badlands, the next installment in the Predator franchise, is set to hit theaters on November 7, via 20th Century Studios.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and written by Patrick Aison, the film stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. It marks the seventh mainline Predator film and the ninth in the overall franchise, while also hinting at connections to the Alien universe.
The story takes place on a distant planet, where a young Predator named Dek, an outcast from his clan, teams up with a character named Thia, played by Elle Fanning.
Together, they set out on a dangerous journey searching for the ultimate opponent. According to The Walt Disney Company, Thia is a synthetic created by the notorious Weyland-Yutani corporation from the Alien movies, suggesting a possible tie-in to the larger Alien mythos.
The trailer for Predator: Badlands caught fans’ attention with a brief glimpse of Thia’s eyes, revealing her synthetic nature. This fueled speculation about a potential Alien versus Predator showdown.
However, Trachtenberg clarified in an interview with Empire that fans shouldn’t expect Xenomorphs in this film. “There’s no Xenomorph in this movie,” he confirmed. “But to me, that makes it more exciting. We’re not involving [the Alien franchise] just to smush the action figures together. There are great, organic story reasons for Weyland-Yutani to be in this film.”
First hunt. Last chance.
— 20th Century Studios (@20thcentury) July 21, 2025
From the director of Prey, watch the brand-new trailer for Predator: Badlands, in theaters November 7. pic.twitter.com/KrLZznPnL6
Fanning offered more insight into her character, hinting at Thia’s unique development. “Thia has been on Genna a while, seeing things she wouldn’t normally see,” she explained. “She’s absorbing all this new information, and she’s broken too, so she’s become very different from the other synths.” It seems the synthetic may have her own complex story to tell, even without the Xenomorphs.
From what we know so far, Predator: Badlands promises a fresh take on the franchise, blending the Yautja and Alien universes in subtle ways without relying on a direct monster clash. Trachtenberg and the cast appear focused on character-driven storytelling alongside thrilling sci-fi action.
It will be interesting to see how fans react to a Predator story that hints at Alien lore but avoids a full-on crossover. What do you think, are you excited to see Thia and Dek’s journey, or are you hoping for Xenomorphs too? Share your thoughts in the comments.
