Imagine a Predator movie set during World War II, with the iconic alien hunter taking down Nazis instead of soldiers in the jungle. Sounds wild, right? But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: early ideas for Predator: Badlands toyed with exactly that concept—and even considered bringing Prey’s fearless heroine, Naru, into the mix. Yes, you read that right. Director Dan Trachtenberg, the mastermind behind Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, revealed in recent interviews that the third installment of the Predator franchise could have been a vastly different beast.
Predator: Badlands hit theaters last Friday, shattering franchise records with a staggering $40 million domestic opening weekend. Trachtenberg’s bold decision to make the Predator the protagonist—teaming him up with a damaged synth named Thia—clearly paid off. But before this version took shape, the director explored some seriously unconventional ideas. In an interview with The Direct, Trachtenberg shared, ‘The very first nugget of the idea was, what if the Predator wins?’ He wanted audiences to root for the Predator, not just watch him as a mindless slasher. This led to the WWII concept, where the Predator could be a hero fighting against Nazi forces. ‘But even then, I felt like that’s not really a special new movie,’ he admitted.
And this is the part most people miss: Trachtenberg’s vision evolved into something far more ambitious. He wanted the Predator to be the undisputed protagonist, with no humans in sight—except, perhaps, for Naru. Speaking to Screen Time, he explained, ‘I did think about the pairing [of the Predator and Naru] before it was Thia, but then I thought, ‘Well, then I’m not doing the premise.’ The premise was clear: the Predator’s story, his journey, his adventure. Naru, it seems, has a bigger role planned for her down the line.
This wasn’t the first time Trachtenberg flirted with the idea of Naru and a Predator teaming up. During the release of Prey, he told AVP Galaxy that one of his earliest concepts involved Naru and a young Predator joining forces to take down the fur trappers from the film. Talk about a dynamic duo!
But here’s the controversial part: Would a WWII-set Predator movie or a Naru-Predator team-up have been a better direction for the franchise? Or did Trachtenberg make the right call by sticking to a Predator-centric story on an alien planet? The debate is wide open. While Predator: Badlands has already proven to be a hit, these early ideas spark curiosity about what could have been—and what might still come in future installments.
What’s your take? Would you have preferred a Predator hunting Nazis or Naru teaming up with the ultimate hunter? Let’s hear it in the comments. And while you’re at it, ponder this: Is the Predator franchise better off sticking to its roots, or should it continue pushing boundaries with unconventional storylines? The floor is yours.
