The Predator: Badlands trailer is finally here, and while fans are taking in all the story details and action, they might have missed a major reference to the Alien franchise. At one point in the preview, a shot of Elle Fanning’s character Thia confirms that she is a synthetic from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The company’s logo can be briefly glimpsed during a scene where Thia’s eyes roll into the back of her head. It is identical to Andy, the synthetic who had a key supporting role in last summer’s Alien: Romulus.
You can see the comparison between the two in the space below. Thia and Andy have the same distinct “W” on their eyes:
Dating back to 1990, the Alien and Predator franchises have been intertwined. Predator 2 features a xenomorph skull in the Predator’s trophy room, revealing the two series took place in the same universe. Following that Easter egg, two Alien vs. Predator films were released in the mid-2000s. Neither was particularly well-received, but that hasn’t stopped filmmakers from expressing interest in making another installment. Fede Álvarez pitched an Alien vs. Predator film co-directed by him and Dan Trachtenberg.
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Predator: Badlands is scheduled to hit theaters in November. Trachtenberg, who previously helmed the acclaimed franchise entry Prey, returns as director. Badlands switches up the franchise formula by starring a Predator outcast as the film’s protagonist. It is one of two Predator movies that will be released this year, following the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers (also directed by Trachtenberg).
Álvarez included a nod to the Predator franchise in Alien: Romulus, but there’s a difference between a subtle Easter egg like that and the more overt connection present in Predator: Badlands. Perhaps this is a sign that Disney is building towards a new Alien vs. Predator movie. Such a project hasn’t been officially announced, but the Alien and Predator properties have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. Prey was a massive hit on Hulu, and Romulus proved successful enough to warrant a sequel. The studio might be interested in trying its hand at a full-blown crossover, ideally with better results this time. It’ll be interesting to see if there are any other Alien references in Badlands.
Fanning’s Thia being a Weyland-Yutani creation potentially sheds more light on Predator: Badlands‘ plot. The film takes place on a remote planet, so perhaps the company sends Thia there to research the world — for what reason remains unknown. Anyone familiar with the Alien films knows Weyland-Yutani doesn’t always have people’s best interests in mind, so Thia’s mission could have some nefarious goal behind it. Another possibility is Thia is a more friendly synthetic (like the reprogrammed Andy in Romulus) who takes a liking to the young Predator and aids him on his quest. Regardless of how Thia factors in, Predator: Badlands looks like it will be rich of world building and mythology, deepening the lore of two of sci-fi’s most iconic franchises.
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