Imagine a universe where the iconic creatures of the Alien and Predator franchises collide in unexpected ways. That’s exactly what Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg had in mind—until those plans were scrapped. But here’s where it gets controversial: Trachtenberg recently revealed that an earlier version of the film included surprise cameos from characters like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, the Xenomorph from Alien, and even the backbiter creature from Killer of Killers. These nods to the wider franchise were ultimately cut, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
Predator: Badlands follows the story of Dek, a young Yautja outcast, who reluctantly teams up with Thia, a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic android. This dynamic duo already bridges the gap between the Predator and Alien universes, but the scrapped cameos would have taken the crossover to a whole new level. In an interview with ScreenRant, Trachtenberg explained that a lengthy dialogue scene featuring holograms of these iconic characters was shortened, leaving them barely visible in the final cut. And this is the part most people miss: The director hinted at a future where Naru, the protagonist from Prey, could have played a role in this expanded universe, though he chose to hold off on that idea for now.
Trachtenberg’s vision for the franchise is ambitious. He’s not just thinking about standalone films but also teasing potential crossovers, like another Alien vs. Predator movie. However, with Predator: Badlands earning a modest $184.6 million at the box office against a $105 million budget, it’s unclear how high Disney prioritizes another installment. Still, the Yautja’s story is far from over.
Set on a remote planet in the future, the film stars Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek. Together, they embark on a perilous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. While the cameos may be gone, the film’s connections to the larger franchise remain, leaving plenty of room for speculation and excitement.
Here’s the bold question: Should Trachtenberg have kept those cameos, or was cutting them the right call? And what does this mean for the future of the Alien and Predator franchises? Let’s debate in the comments—because one thing’s for sure, this universe is far from finished. Predator: Badlands arrives on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on February 17, giving fans another chance to dive into this thrilling world.
