Predator: Badlands Teaser Trailer Confirms Link to Alien Universe

The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands packs a big surprise. Elle Fanning’s character, Thia, is revealed to be a Weyland-Yutani synthetic. This confirms the first official connection between the Predator and Alien franchises in nearly two decades.

Sharp-eyed fans noticed the reveal. A close-up of Thia’s eyes shows the Weyland-Yutani logo. This is the same logo tied to the company known for creating androids like Ash, Bishop, David, and Andy in the Alien series.

The trailer also features a Weyland-Yutani vehicle. Together, these details build a direct bridge to the Alien universe. It’s the first canonical crossover since 2004’s Alien vs. Predator and 2007’s Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, both of which are considered non-canon.

Crossover hints began back in 1990’s Predator 2, where a Xenomorph skull was shown in a Predator’s trophy case. The shared universe idea started even earlier in the 1989 Aliens Versus Predator comics.

Predator: Badlands is set on a remote planet in the future. A young Predator, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, has been exiled. He forms an alliance with Thia, an outcast android. Together, they begin a dangerous journey to find the ultimate opponent.

Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane) directs the film. He co-wrote the script with Patrick Aison (Prey). Their previous collaboration was praised by fans and critics alike.

The film will be released by 20th Century Studios on November 7. Based on this teaser, fans are already hoping it leads to a new and official Alien vs. Predator story.