"Predator: Badlands" - In conversation with Dan Trachtenberg

Luca Fontana

7/11/2025

Translation: machine translated

Dan Trachtenberg is rethinking the "Predator": less monster, more human. In this interview, the director talks about the code of honour, humour - and the question of how much soul an intergalactic hunter can have.

He brought a breath of fresh air to the «Prey» and «Killer of Killers» he brought a breath of fresh air to the «Predator» universe, now director and author Dan Trachtenberg dares to take the next step: in «Predator: Badlands» the focus is suddenly not on humans, but on the Predator - the Yautja - itself. A change of perspective that is daring ... and works.

A week before the film's release, I spoke to Trachtenberg about myth, humanity and monsters. And if you read to the end of the interview, you could even win something.

Dan, in the «Predator» films, it's always been «man versus beast». In «Badlands» however, you completely flip the concept: We're suddenly on the side of the Predator. Were you never afraid that hardcore fans might see that as a betrayal?
Dan Trachtenberg: I always had that in the back of my mind. Simply because I'm a hardcore fan myself. But we're basically just continuing what the original started in 1987. Even back then, a Predator was different from all the other monsters of its time. He wasn't a mute or chaotic beast like Freddy, Jason or Michael Myers. He was intelligent, wore high-tech and flashy armour - all of which pointed to a rich culture of his own that made him more than just a film monster.

And yet some fear that if you explain too much, you'll take away the fascination of the original myth.
I see it differently. When the Predator faced the unarmed Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, he also put down his weapons and only fought with his fists. No Michael Myers would have done that. We learn from this: the Yautja have a code of honour. This is exactly the kind of aspect I wanted to explore in more depth without destroying the myth behind it.

By focussing on just one Predator rather than all of them?
Exactly. «Badlands» could easily have been a film set entirely on the Yautja home planet, explaining everything - about different tribes, their rites, their society. But that's not the film I wanted to make. I wanted my film to be a small, focused look into their world. In it, we accompany Dek, the Predator of this story, on his own hunt ... and escape.

Dek is indeed an exciting protagonist: for a Predator, he seems more vulnerable and flawed, but never ridiculous. He remains dangerous, but with inner conflicts. How did you find the balance between showing weakness and preserving the myth that John McTiernan and Stan Winston created back then?I thought a lot about characters like Conan, Mad Max or Clint Eastwood's taciturn heroes. These archetypes are scary and strong, but you can feel that there's a heart beating inside. «Badlands» is not that far removed from films like «Mad Max: Fury Road» or «Road Warrior». And I have long been visually inspired by Frank Frazetta - his paintings with their mixture of power, melancholy and archaic beauty were also the basis for «Conan».

Apropos: One of the biggest surprises for me was Thea, played by Elle Fanning. She brings a surprising amount of warmth and even humour to this world - something you rarely find in «Predator» films. Weren't you worried that this would clash with the darker side of the franchise?
I love humour - in any genre. Whether it's horror or action: a bit of lightness makes the experience richer. A good film is like a rollercoaster ride. Tension, the drop, then the liberating laughter afterwards. But humour also has a second function: it makes you like the characters. When you laugh with them, it creates a bond. Steven Spielberg's «Jaws» is a good example of this: one of the scariest films ever, but hilarious at the same time.

You once said that «Predator» is a project close to your heart. And that you already had a third big idea for your next «Predator» film - possibly even with Naru from «Prey». Will this be the conclusion of your trilogy, or are you working on something bigger within the Predator universe?No, no. Not a trilogy. I think every «Predator» film should also work as a stand-alone science fiction film. No one should need extra prior knowledge or even have to do «homework» before going to the cinema.

So your next «Predator» film won't be the conclusion of a trilogy or a direct sequel to «Badlands»?
Exactly. Each film has to stand on its own. If you've seen the others, you might have a few additional aha moments. But each film should simply be a really good film in its own right. Full stop.

And I was about to ask you if you're the Kevin Feige of the «Predator» universe. After all, you give structure to the chaos. Don't you still sometimes feel a bit like the unofficial showrunner of this new «Predator» era?
(laughs) I've actually had an incredible amount of creative freedom so far. That's mainly down to the people I work with. The producers and the studio have supported the craziest ideas right from the start. That's not a given in Hollywood. Each of these films - «Prey», «Killer of Killers», «Badlands» - was a big risk, but the response was so positive that they just let us get on with it. And that is a gift.

Thank you very much, Dan. I wish you every success - and sincerely hope that many more «Predator» films will come from you.
Thank you, Luca. I hope so too.

Dan Trachtenberg (1981) is an American director and screenwriter who has made a name for himself with cleverly staged genre films. He celebrated his breakthrough in 2016 with «10 Cloverfield Lane», a claustrophobic thriller that reinterpreted J. J. Abrams' «Cloverfield» universe. He went on to direct episodes for series such as «Black Mirror» (Playtest) and «The Boys» (The Name of the Game).

In 2022, he landed «Prey», which is still the best-rated «Predator» film of all time - a prequel that redefined the myth. With «Killer of Killers» and now «Predator: Badlands», he is consistently expanding the franchise and has long been regarded as the creative mind behind the modern «Predator» era.

In the latest episode of the Tech Affair podcast, we also talk about this topic.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.

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