As we get nearer to the discharge of one more Predator installment this 12 months, director Dan Trachtenberg has revealed his influences for the extremely anticipated movie. Predator: Badlands is about to be launched theatrically on November 7, 2025, providing one other tackle the franchise that has been lively for the reason that late Eighties.
Whereas speaking to Video games Radar for the brand new version of SFX journal, Trachtenberg mentioned the foremost affect a traditional movie has had on the Predator: Badlands manufacturing. Whereas some may suppose that the reply can be one other horror sci-fi decide, the director really stated that Steven Spielberg’s 1975 traditional, Jaws, had the most important affect on the movie:
“Jaws is one in every of my favourite motion pictures of all time. It isn’t my favourite horror film. I do not think about Jaws a horror film. However when it is scary, it is f-ing terrifying. When it is humorous, it is hilarious. When there’s drama, it is extremely honest and genuine.”
Trachtenberg’s level is fairly legitimate, contemplating not many see Jaws as a pure horror movie. It does have its moments, together with one in every of cinema’s greatest leap scares, and it does get a bit gory when the shark eats a poor child on the seashore. However past these moments, the movie additionally performs like an awesome journey movie, particularly in its second half.
Trachtenberg additionally addresses the journey component in Jaws, and the way this impressed the dynamic between Thia (performed by Elle Fanning) and a younger Predator, aiming to stability the movie’s style mashup:
“After which when there’s journey, it is a high-seafaring journey. It is all issues. It isn’t one factor. It’s glorious in any respect issues. So this film, on this tone, the Predator’s bought to be badass and ferocious and there is going to be this enjoyable factor with Thia and that is going to be humorous, but additionally honest and have a pulse of its personal.”
Trachtenberg has been concerned within the Predator franchise since Prey, the 2022 prequel launched on Hulu, and probably the greatest entries in all the universe. Lately, in June 2025, he launched Predator: Killer or Killers on Hulu, the animated anthology function that noticed the traditional villain navigate by way of a number of factors in historical past. It was a secretive undertaking that he directed whereas planning Predator: Badlands.
Dan Trachtenberg Additionally Talked Concerning the Affect of This PS2 Video Sport
Through the interview, Trachtenberg additionally cited Shadow of the Colossus as an affect. The 2005 PS2 sport follows a younger man named Wander making an attempt to revive a woman named Mono in a world the place large creatures additionally reside. The fantasy motion sport is taken into account probably the greatest ever made, having influenced the God of Conflict collection and Elden Ring. Trachtenberg explains that the primary storyline within the sport impressed him to provide you with a narrative for Predator: Badlands:
“This was a bit of bit impressed by that by way of desirous to see the Predator with another person, this type of character with the alternative of him. He is very laconic. She will not be. She’s succesful in methods that he’s not. But in addition, bodily, she’s bought an actual factor that I am so excited for you guys to see.”