Predator: Badlands Director Almost Set Film Against WWII Nazis

Director Dan Trachtenberg revealed that an early concept for Predator: Badlands involved setting the film during World War II, with the Predator fighting Nazis. During an interview ahead of the film’s release, Trachtenberg explained that this idea was explored as a way to make the iconic alien the protagonist, but it was ultimately discarded as not being a “special new movie.” The final film focuses on the Predator’s own journey as the hero of its story.

The new entry also introduces one of the most unique Predator designs in the franchise’s history. Costume designer Ngila Dickson, an Academy Award winner for The Lord of the Rings, was brought on to design the creature’s wardrobe, moving away from the traditional approach handled solely by creature designers. The final look was inspired by Spartan and Conan the Barbarian aesthetics to reflect a hardcore, nomadic culture.

Box Office Projections for Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands is projected to give the Fall box office a significant boost. Early estimates suggest a global opening weekend of around $60 million, with approximately $25 million of that coming from U.S. theaters. If these projections hold, the film would overtake 2010’s Predators ($24.7 million) to become the highest-grossing standalone opening in the Predator franchise, excluding the Alien vs. Predator crossover.

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