This one scene from the 'Predator: Badlands' trailer teases another connection with the 'Alien' franchise

Predator: Badlands is the upcoming addition to the Predator franchise. The science fiction action film is helmed by Dan Trachtenberg, who has written it with Patrick Aison. The film is slated to be released on November 7, 2025, by 20th Century Studios. Here's the official synopsis:

A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

The makers recently released the film's teaser trailer, and it highlights a connection the film has with the Alien franchise. Let us find out more about it, as well as the film.

Predator: Badlands trailer establishes an Alien connection

The makers recently released the official teaser trailer of Predator: Badlands. The video, which runs for about one minute and 11 seconds, provides a glimpse into the story while also dropping a connection with the Alien franchise. It begins with someone taking out a predator skull from the sand while a voiceover says:

"I didn't think you survived."

It shows Thia, who is an android, forming a bond with Dek the predator as they face a powerful force. The video showcases barren lands, fight sequences and several other moments from the film. Thia's voice continues to warn Dek by saying:

"You're hunting something that can't be killed."

Thia is a Weyland-Yutani android, a fact established via the Yutani logo as well as her distinct eyes in one scene. These features directly link the film with the Alien franchise, which was showcased in the crossover films Alien vs Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (released in 2004 and 2007, respectively). However, viewers will have to wait for the new film's release to see if there are any more plot or narrative crossovers in the film to the Alien franchise.

Predator: Badlands is the ninth entry in the overall franchise and seventh in terms of the mainline story. Trachtenberg also directed the previous installment Prey, which opened in 2022. He also directs the forthcoming animation anthology film in the franchise, Predator: Killer of Killers, due to be released on Hulu on June 6, 2025.

Predator: Badlands is produced by Brent O'Connor and John Davis and it stars Elle Fanning as Thia while Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi portrays Dek.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Trachtenberg explained that they have come up with the Yautja language for the predators in the film. He said:

"We reached out to the guy who does the Navi language [for Avatar], who was very occupied, and recommended his mentee. We did it the way that The Lord of the Rings does Elvish or Game of Thrones does Dothraki. Except with those, there's more of a precedent. As we discovered with that language expert... [the Yautja language] in the other Predator movies is complete nonsense. There's no sense to it. People from the internet have tried to make sense of it, but none of it was made with intention. So we decided to make it with intentions."

Are you excited about Predator: Badlands?