Imagine a Predator movie set during World War II, with the iconic alien hunter taking down Nazis instead of soldiers in the jungle. Sounds wild, right? But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: early ideas for Predator: Badlands included just that—and even a team-up with Prey’s heroine, Naru. Yes, you read that right. Director Dan Trachtenberg, the mastermind behind Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, revealed in recent interviews that the third installment of the Predator franchise could have taken a drastically different turn. Instead of the alien planet and the damaged synth Thia we see in theaters now, the film might have explored a Predator as a WWII hero or paired him with Naru in a completely human-free narrative—except for her, of course. And this is the part most people miss: Trachtenberg’s original vision wasn’t just about flipping the script; it was about making the Predator the protagonist you couldn’t help but root for. Controversial? Maybe. But it’s a bold move that could have redefined the franchise. Trachtenberg told The Direct, ‘The very first nugget of the idea was, what if the Predator wins? I didn’t want it to be a slasher movie where the slasher wins. I wanted you to cheer for him.’ He even toyed with the idea of setting it in WWII, but quickly realized it wasn’t groundbreaking enough. Instead, he leaned into a deeper, more character-driven story, stripping away humans entirely—well, almost. Naru was briefly considered, but Trachtenberg ultimately decided to keep the focus squarely on the Predator’s journey. ‘I really wanted to do the premise: the Predator is the protagonist, and no humans in the movie,’ he explained to Screen Time. But don’t worry, Naru fans—Trachtenberg hinted there’s ‘a bigger plan down the line’ for her. This isn’t the first time he’s teased a Naru-Predator team-up; during Prey’s release, he mentioned an early idea where they’d join forces against the fur trappers. So, what do you think? Would a WWII-set Predator movie or a Naru-Predator alliance have been a game-changer, or is Badlands’ current direction the right call? Here’s the real question: Are we ready to see the Predator as a hero, or does the franchise work best when he’s the unstoppable force we love to fear? Let us know in the comments—this debate is just getting started.
