The next installment in thePredatorfranchise,Badlands, has reportedlyfound its lead, withThe GreatstarElle Fanningnow in talks to star. As per a report byDeadline, Fanning is now “in negotiations to star in the film,” withPreydirector Dan Trachtenberg set to return to the helmalongside writer Patrick Aison. Plot details forBadlandsremain largely under wraps at this time, but it has been revealed that it will be set in the future and, much like 2022’s critically acclaimedPreyit will be another standalone outing in thePredatorseries.
Elle Fanning isbest known for her rolesin the likes of J.J. Abrams’Super 8and the Disney moviesMaleficentandMaleficent: Mistress of Evilin which she starred alongside Angelina Jolie, as well as the likes ofThe Neon Demon, Sofia Coppola’s dramaSomewhere,The Girl from Plainville, and the historical comedy seriesThe Great, for which she has received nominations for an Emmy Award and two Golden Globes.
The Predator remains one of the most iconic creatures in science fiction, with the extraterrestrial hunter, of course, first introduced oppositeaction movie superstar Arnold Schwarzeneggerway back in 1987. The alien warrior has since done battle with Danny Glover, Adrian Brody, Boyd Holbrook, and the Xenomorph. While the series has largely floundered since the beloved first outing, Dan Trachtenberg’sPreyhas once again made the franchise a high priority for the studio.
Prey 2 Is Also Now in Development Alongside Badlands
Released by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu original film last year,Preyreignites thePredatorfranchise, dropping the alien hunter 1719 and pitting it against Amber Midthunder as Naru, a young Comanche warrior. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and written by Patrick Aison,Preyfollows Amber Midthunder as a skilled Comanche warrior who must protect her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans for sport, fighting against wilderness, dangerous colonizers and this mysterious creature to keep her people safe.
Predator’s Prey: What We Could See in a Potential Sequel
The new Predator film reinvigorated the franchise. What could the upcoming sequel and spin-off film Badlands look like?
Released in August last year,Preywas met with critical acclaim, and fans have been calling for a further sequel ever since. Well, good news because, alongsideBadlands,Trachtenberg is also now developingPrey 2, with earlier reports revealing that the follow-up will “return to the films original setting and with the films star, Amber Midthunder, potentially returning.”
Discussing a potential sequel last year withComicbook.com, Trachtenberg teased what his intentions are withPrey 2, saying…
“You finally asked the right question. For everyone who’s been asking me about sequels, it’s like, that is the thing, is that oftentimes someone does a cool thing and the sequel is just….and then the next part, and then it’s like, oh, well then that’s just following up the cool. That isn’t what that thing was. And so yes, in thinking about what sequels could be, the primary conversation was and always will be, what we can do that is also special, that hasn’t happened yet. Not just for the Predator franchise, but for this kind of genre in particular. Can we still be doing something cool?”
Preyis now available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
