I’m not sure if we’ve ever seen the Predator franchise in a better place. At least financially. Sure, the argument can certainly be made that it’s getting away from what originally made the franchise what it was and becoming much more sci-fi-based, but there’s no denying those box office receipts. And the man at the helm is none other than Dan Trachtenberg, who has released three of his own with Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands.
I was able to chat with Dan about Badlands in anticipation of the film’s digital and physical release. We get into whether or not he’ll still be involved with the series since signing his First Look deal with Paramount. Dan also gets into why they cut out most of the androids in the film and opted instead to have one actor portray the majority. I can’t recommend this release enough as it is filled with insightful commentary and deleted scenes that provide both more context and an alternate look at what could have been. It’s genuinely one of the best releases I’ve seen in a while. And you can hear all about it in the video above!
Predator: Badlands plot:
Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, Predator: Badlands follows Dek, a young Predator outcast from his clan, who finds an unlikely ally in Thia and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Bonus Features:
o Embodying the Predator – Meet the talented team of designers, performers, and effects artists responsible for bringing one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures to life on screen in ways we’ve never seen before!
o Authentic Synthetics – Get up close and personal with synths Thia and Tessa as star Elle Fanning walks us through the process of crafting two characters who may look the same but have evolved in surprisingly unique ways.
o Building the Badlands – With razor sharp grass, killer trees, and terrifying animals, never has a planet been more deadly than Genna. Uncover how a team of artisans built this threatening landscape, transforming real locations into the dangerous environments seen on screen.
o Dek of the Yautja – For the first time ever, director Dan Trachtenberg has given audiences an extended peek at Predator culture. Follow the evolution as filmmakers reveal the process behind developing the Yautja’s home world, spacecraft, and family dynamics.
o Audio Commentary: Watch the film with audio commentary by Director Dan Trachtenberg, Producer Ben Rosenblatt, Director of Photography Jeff Cutter and Stunt Coordinator Jacob Tomuri.
Predator: Badlands is now streaming on Hulu and available to purchase on physical media.
