Even though the two upcoming Predator films following two very different timelines might be odd, it could work in favor of the franchise. It has been confirmed that a sequel to the 2022 critically acclaimed Prey will happen, and another Predator sequel, Badlands, is also in development. These two upcoming Predator movies do not seem connected at first, which can be confusing.
The Predator franchise was born in 1987 when the original film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, came out. The movie spawned 3 sequels (Predator 2, Predators, and The Predator), two crossovers with the Alien franchise (Alien vs Predator and Alien vs Predator: Requiem), and, most recently, a prequel (Prey). Unlike other franchises such as Alien, Predator’s timeline isn’t straight. Instead, the films show isolated encounters of different people with the Predator in different timeframes. However, what’s curious this time is that two different movies in development respond to different timelines.
The New Predator Movie Title Hints It Might Be Connected To Prey
The title for the next chapter in the Predator franchise may reveal a connection to the franchise’s highly successful most recent entry.
The New Predator/Prey Franchise Movies Explained
As it was previously established, 20th Century has announced two Predator films. First, there is Badlands, which will be directed by Prey director Dan Trachtenberg and will be set in the future. Considering its timeframe, it can be assumed that the film will be very different from Prey, which was set in the 18th century. Although not many details about Predator: Badlands have been revealed yet, it will have a female lead and will begin production later this year. Additionally, it has also been announced that it will be released before the Prey sequel, which is the other in-development project.
Prey came out in 2022 and, despite not having a theatrical release, it brought the franchise back to life after The Predator‘s failure. The film is set in the 1700s and returns to the basis of the franchise by featuring only one predator and giving more importance to a single lead character. However, the film also presented a very different tone to the rest of the franchise. Prey 2 will be set after the events of Prey and serve as a direct sequel to the film. Additionally, Prey 2 will break a franchise tradition if its lead actor, Amber Midthunder, returns.
Why The Two-Track Strategy For The Predator Franchise Is So Smart
Although having two in-development projects with different settings might seem a weird decision for the franchise, it could actually work great for a couple of reasons. First, while Prey is a Predator movie, it also has a different feel, and it even has a different title, which makes the whole thing less confusing in a way. Secondly, having two different Predator films with different tones might broaden the franchise’s reach, considering that the movies are targeting two different audiences while opening new possibilities for more films. Predator is becoming a series of anthology films, which could be great