Predator: Badlands Director Says He Wanted to Explore New Terrain

Predator: Badlands Director Dan Trachtenberg Breaks Down His Approach to Giving the Film a Distinct Look with New Environments

Predator: Badlands pushes the long-running sci-fi series into new territory, both in terms of story and setting. Unlike previous entries that centered on soldiers on Earth and the familiar jungle environment, this film follows a young Predator on the hostile planet Genna. Utilizing sweeping landscapes and an unlikely buddy dynamic, it aims to shake up the classic Predator formula.

While promoting the film’s theatrical release, director Dan Trachtenberg—who also helmed the popular 2022 film Prey—shared with Screen Rant his determination to avoid relying on familiar Predator imagery.

Dan Trachtenberg on Filming Predator: Badlands in New Zealand

Trachtenberg explained, “I just wanted it to be as distinct as possible and give the movie scope and scale to really feel like we’re traversing from one kind of planet to a completely different kind of planet. In fact, I was really hyper-focused on going to New Zealand so that we don’t find ourselves just in another jungle. I think sometimes we tend to associate forests with fantasy and jungle for sci-fi.”

He continued, “That was what was really unique about New Zealand—it’s an interesting combination of both. To set a sequence in the open field with those crazy spiked pods and the razor, all those things that just aesthetically were a little bit more distinct, interesting, and dangerous feeling.”

Within this stunning new landscape, the film’s central character Dek begins his journey as the runt of his Yautja clan, barely escaping execution and embarking on an adventure to prove his worth. His hunt for the seemingly unkillable Kalisk forces an uneasy alliance with Thia, a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic (crossing over with Alien continuity), and a local creature nicknamed Bud.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi portrays Dek under a detailed creature suit, enhanced meticulously with motion capture technology, while Elle Fanning delivers double duty as Thia and her more ruthless counterpart, Tessa. And if you’ve seen any of the trailers so far, you know there’s plenty of action and grand visuals to look forward to.

Predator: Badlands officially arrives in theaters on November 7, 2025, from 20th Century Studios, offering fans a thoughtful new chapter to anticipate within the franchise.

With all that in mind, what are you most excited to see in the new Predator film? Let us know in the comments below!

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