Badlands prepares the next sequel to Dan Trachtenberg’s new universe

This article contains spoilers for “Predator: Badlands”.

The “Predator” franchise is the most exciting film series currently underway, and that’s because it’s almost completely unpredictable. Unlike the majority of other ongoing franchises, the source material that future “Predator” films are expected to adapt for the screen is non-existent. In other words, “Predator” is a much more old-school film franchise, with each new sequel offering new characters and new stories to tell. What’s more, where other series have too often failed to tread familiar ground (one hopes the upcoming “Scream 7” isn’t an example), the latest “Predator” films have found entirely new storytelling avenues. Director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg has essentially become the guru of the series, establishing a new universe between “Prey,” “Killer of Killers” and now “Predator: Badlands.”

Thanks to Trachtenberg’s innovative approaches to each new “Predator” film, the future of the franchise is difficult to predict. That said, the films seem to promise some potential directions. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the “Badlands” finale, which sees the new “Wolf” clan consisting of the Yautja, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), the synthetic Weyland-Yutani, Thia (Elle Fanning) and the Kalisk teenager, Bud, facing the apparent anger of Dek’s unseen, unnamed mother after Dek defeats his father (Reuben De Jong, voiced by Schuster-Koloamatangi). With this ending acting as a de facto mid-credits scene, it seems to promise that the Wolf Clan’s adventures are far from over, and that a “Badlands” sequel could pick up from this very moment. Still, is a direct sequel to “Badlands” the next step for Trachtenberg and the “Predator” series? Given the other recent films in the franchise, we could find ourselves in for a crossover event film, centered around “Predator.”

In any other franchise, the ending of “Badlands” would be seen as a sure sign of an impending sequel, as Dek and his friends realize the fight is far from over. However, we’ve seen almost this exact same type of cliffhanger ending in the “Predator” franchise before, not once but multiple times. To be fair, the finales of “Predator” and “Predator 2” were more or less conclusions, since the heroes of both films eventually defeat their Yautja hunters and can essentially return to their lives. That all changed with 2010’s “Predators,” as that film left its human mercenary survivors Royce (Adrien Brody) and Isabelle (Alice Braga) stranded on a preserved Yautja planet while other predators and prey began to arrive.

Things only get more complex from there, as each subsequent sequel leaves characters and events hanging. 2018’s “The Predator” saw a rogue Predator leave behind a “Predator Killer” suit for Captain Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) to aid in an impending Yauja invasion. The end credits of “Prey” indicate that the Yautja return to threaten the Comanche tribe after the events of that film, and “Killer of Killers” reveals that Naru (Amber Midthunder) is ultimately captured and frozen in cryogenic sleep by the Predators, along with Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover). “Killer of Killers” also leaves the fates of Kenji (Louis Ozawa Changchien) and Torres (Rick Gonzalez) up in the air, as King Grendel of the Yautja sends his people after the humans. Considering all of this, it’s entirely possible that the “Badlands” cliffhanger won’t be resolved for years, if not forever.

“Predator” is a series full of possibilities. Of course, any or all of these films could have a direct sequel, but if the series were to go that route, it would likely be a mix-and-match type deal. Maybe a “Badlands 2,” but maybe a combined sequel to “Predators” and “The Predator.” The ideas established in “Killer of Killers” introduce yet another possibility, which is that the “Predator” films could crossover in a direct sequel to that film, or perhaps it could happen in another animated entry (which would allow stars like Schwarzenegger and Glover to return in a less physically demanding capacity). Then there’s the idea that the “Predator” universe could turn into an event film in the style of Marvel’s “The Avengers,” with protagonists from several previous sequels appearing in one massive film.

This could be the secret “third thing” Trachtenberg was referring to when speaking to SFX Magazine recently, with the filmmaker hinting at a bold new pivot for the series. Yet, given the recent ubiquity of crossover films (even including animation, as in the “Spider-Verse” films), this is probably not the case. It’s also unlikely to be what resembles the inevitable “Alien vs. Predator” rematch, whatever form the film ends up taking. Instead, it seems far more likely that Trachtenberg has another ingenious trick up his sleeve, and that this could mark the end of his tenure within the Yautja; after all, the filmmaker certainly didn’t present himself as the Kevin Feige or James Gunn of the PredatorVerse. However, what makes it difficult to speculate on this is precisely what makes this all so exciting. The future of “Predator” looks bright, whether we see the Wolf Clan again or not.