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Dan Trachtenberg's first-look deal with Paramount "does not mean" he's going to stop making Predator movies, the director has confirmed.
In a new interview with io9, the filmmaker explained that he's "simultaneously figuring out all of the next steps" for the sci-fi franchise and what he'll be getting up to over at Paramount.
"I'm in this moment that I was in when Prey came out, where I was like, 'What do I do next?'" Trachtenberg revealed. "[I] got very excited about a Predator protagonist and got very excited about an animated movie with multiple time periods, and then they just happened to go at the same time. So that's where I'm at with Predator now, is, 'Oh my God, there are so many exciting things we can do.'"
Last year saw the release of both Predator: Badlands and Predator: Killer of Killers, a critically acclaimed, animated anthology film that saw humanity's fiercest – a Viking raider, a Japanese ninja, and a World War II pilot – face off against the titular extra-terrestrials during different points in history.
The former, which stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, follows Dek, a Yautja "runt" as he attempts to take down a Kalisk, the galaxy's most formidable foe – and win back the respect of his clan. During his hunt, his path crosses that of Thia's, a legless bot whose perky personality rubs him up the wrong way. Before long, though, the two of them become unlikely allies, throwing the Yautja Codex – which claims the eponymous species is "friend to none" – out the spaceship window, as they set out to complete Dek's mission together.
"Now I have this deal at Paramount where I'm thrilled, and they are thrilled to make some of the original movies that I've always had in my head and heart," Trachtenberg, who previously teamed with the studio on stellar sci-fi sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane, continued in his chat with io9. "And of course, they also have very cool IP and all that. You know, timing may affect certain things, but both things are in my heart… Anything's on the table."
Back in June 2025, Trachtenberg admitted to SFX magazine that he "sort of rushed" Killer of Killers and Badlands because he "was so eager to get to the third thing". So it seems like he's already got some ideas as to where to take the blood-soaked saga...
Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, and Predator: Badlands are streaming now on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK. For more, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.
