Prey and Predator Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg says he’s still involved in the Predator franchise, despite recently signing a first-look deal with Paramount. In early February, Prey and Predator Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg signed a three-year deal with Paramount, which immediately raised questions about his future partnership with Disney. It’s Disney, after all, that owns ... Predator | Dan Trachtenberg still involved in franchise after signing Paramount deal, he says
Prey and Predator Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg says he’s still involved in the Predator franchise, despite recently signing a first-look deal with Paramount.
In early February, Prey and Predator Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg signed a three-year deal with Paramount, which immediately raised questions about his future partnership with Disney.
It’s Disney, after all, that owns the rights to the Predator franchise, and it was Trachtenberg who managed to successfully course-correct that long-running series after the calamity that was The Predator in 2018.
Trachtenberg has previously talked about having more ideas for Predator following 2025’s Badlands and the animated spin-off, Killer Of Killers – including a returning role for Arnold Schwarzenegger somewhere along the line. But if Trachtenberg’s involved in making movies for Paramount over the next three years, doesn’t that mean his involvement in the alien big game hunter’s antics are over?
Gizmodo's Germain Lussier asked the filmmaker that exact question, and got the response, “It does not mean that.”
Instead, he said that he’s “simultaneously figuring out all of the next steps for the Predator franchise,” but later added, “but also now I have this deal at Paramount where I’m thrilled, and they are thrilled, to make some original movies that I’ve always had in my head and heart.”
Trachtenberg also noted that Paramount also has under its banner some “very cool IP”, which includes Star Trek and Transformers.
Read more: Predator Badlands review | A sequel to dismember
The filmmaker conceded that “timing may affect certain things,” however, which presumably means that if he does make another Predator film, it may be some way off. Or alternatively, if Disney are pressing to get more of these movies out sooner to capitalise on audience interest, then it’ll get someone else in to direct.
For now, what’s piqued our interest is Trachtenberg’s talk of “original movies”. When the deal was announced, the natural assumption was that Paramount wanted the director to resuscitate one of its ailing franchises, much as he revived Predator with 2022’s Prey.
Instead, it sounds as though the studio, stuffed full of Skydance cash, has tempted him with the offer of making something that isn’t a sequel or reboot. Or at the very least, the chance to make something original if he successfully reboots, say, Star Trek first. We’ll have to see on that front.
In the meantime, Trachtenberg still has a foot in the Predator world – though it may be some time before we see the other mystery series entry he teased last year.
More Predator news as it emerges from the treetops.
