Predator: Badlands director dispels popular fan theory that the new film's Yautja is secretly the Dark Horse comics character Broken Tusk

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The new film does draw inspiration from the comics, though

Predator: Badlands
(Image credit: 20th Century)

Ahead of the release of Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg has debunked a popular theory among fans – no, the new film's Yautja is not actually Broken Tusk, the character from the Dark Horse comics. The filmmaker might have taken inspiration from him, but he didn't want to do "direct reimaginings."

During an event at the MCM London, a fan mentioned that Dek looks like a young Broken Tusk and asked Trachtenberg if he would like to see Machiko Noguchi (protagonist of the Aliens vs. Predator comics) on the big screen, prompting a response that dispelled previous online theories.

"I think she's a very cool character, as is Broken Tusk," he started. "I think we are drawing on so much inspiration from all the characters of the comics. I don't know that we would ever – or at least my iteration of things, which there will be someone after me, there were people before, you know. I don't know that I've been as interested in doing, like, direct reimaginings of issues of comics and characters from them. But we are certainly drawing so much more inspiration from the comics, especially with this film, and Killer of Killers as well, more so than we have ever before in any of the movies."

Starring Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, the new film follows Dek, a disgraced Yautja who travels to "the most dangerous planet in the universe" to take down a formidable foe – and win back the respect of his clan. When his path crosses with that of Thia's, a legless Weyland-Yutani synth with a perky personality, they forge an unlikely alliance and set out to complete Dek's mission together.

Mireia Mullor
Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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