Good news for fans of the 'Predator' franchise! In another month, the latest 'Predator' film 'Predator: Badlands' will be released on November 7. However, after the sensational success of 'Prey' that came out in 2022, many viewers expected a sequel (Prey 2) to the story. But, on the contrary, the new film with a 'game-changing' storyline, as teased in the 'Predator: Badlands' trailers, will be released first.
Ben Rosenblatt, one of the producers of the film, clarified that this unique aspect is the main reason why 'Predator: Badlands' will be released before 'Prey 2'. In an interview with ScreenRant, Rosenblatt and director Dan Trachtenberg explained the thinking behind their decision.
"One of the main reasons that 'Prey' appealed to Dan and me, and to me, was that it was unexpected. It was something that no one in the franchise had done before. So, when we were thinking about what to do next, Dan was focused on, 'How can we go forward in an unexpected way?' We decided to take a big, different direction that no one had tried before," Rosenblatt said.
Trachtenberg, who also directed 'Prey,' oversaw the new story. 'Predator: Badlands' stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as the lead character of a young predator named 'Dek.' Exiled from his tribe, Dek embarks on a dangerous hunt to prove himself. Elle Fanning plays a synthetic character. She assists Deck in tracking down a dangerous creature.
Rosenblatt believes that making a direct sequel to 'Prey 2' would be "a new take on the same thing." "We could have made 'Prey' in a different time period. But for us, it was more about, 'How do we move the story forward?'" he said.
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However, Rosenblatt made it clear that they are "not ignoring" 'Prey' and want to build on the story. 'Prey', starring Amber Midthunder as Naru, a young Comanche warrior who fights to protect her tribe in the early 18th century, has received a 94% "Certified Fresh" rating from critics and has reinvigorated the 'Predator' franchise.
'Prey 2' has been confirmed for 2024. Rosenblatt's comments suggest that the project is still in development. With 'Predator: Badlands', the Trachtenberg team seems to want to explore new areas in the 'Predator' universe before returning for the sequel. 'Predator: Badlands' is set to hit theaters on November 7, 2025, in English, Telugu, and other languages.
You can stream 'Prey' on Hulu and Disney+.
You can watch the Telugu teaser trailer of Predator: Badlands here.
This video shows the New teaser of the upcoming 'Predator: Badlands', which also includes the release date.
source: screenrant