Imagine a movie that could have been a sprawling crossover event, blending the worlds of Predator and Alien into an even more epic saga. But here’s where it gets controversial: Predator: Badlands almost went down that path, teasing fans with subtle connections to these iconic franchises before pulling back. So, what happened? Let’s dive in.
The genius of Predator: Badlands lies in its ability to stand alone or seamlessly integrate into the larger Predator universe—whichever you prefer. On one hand, it’s deliberately set hundreds, if not thousands, of years apart from any other story in the franchise, ensuring it’s not tied down by past events. Yet, it’s also packed with lore that quietly ties it to Yautja culture and the broader Alien and Predator mythos. For instance, sharp-eyed viewers might have caught a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo of Naru, the protagonist of Prey, whose appearance hints at a version of the film with even deeper interconnections.
Naru’s cameo occurs early in the film when Dek is aboard his brother Kwei’s ship. Kwei explains that to become a full-fledged clan member, Dek must choose a dangerous prey and hunt it across the universe. As they talk, Dek scrolls through holograms of potential targets, and right after Kwei mentions the word “Prey,” a hologram of Naru—the Comanche warrior who killed a Yautja in 1719 and was later frozen by the Yautja, as revealed in Predator: Killer of Killers—briefly appears. This moment raises tantalizing questions: Is Naru still out there, waiting to be hunted? Or is her story truly over?
And this is the part most people miss: Director Dan Trachtenberg revealed in an interview with Screenrant that the original scene included even more easter eggs. “In the early VFX stages, you’d see a xenomorph [from Alien], Dutch [from Predator], and Naru,” Trachtenberg explained. “There was even the Back Biter creature from Killer of Killers. We wanted to honor the iconic characters the Predators have faced.” However, as production progressed, the scene was trimmed, and these references were softened or removed entirely. “The conversation between Dek and Kwei was longer initially, with more holograms in the background,” Trachtenberg added. “Now, it’s more focused, with the holograms in soft focus to keep the spotlight on our story.”
While it’s exciting to imagine a version of Badlands brimming with cross-franchise cameos, the final decision to streamline the scene was likely the right call. After all, too many distractions could pull viewers away from the core story and characters. But here’s the question: Do you agree? Or would you have loved to see Badlands lean harder into its connections to Alien and Predator? Let us know in the comments!
Predator: Badlands is now available on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. If you’re craving more sci-fi and fantasy updates, check out the latest release dates for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the DC Universe, and Doctor Who to stay ahead of the curve.
