Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. The excitement begins with two new Predator films helmed by Prey director Dan Trachtenberg: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers. Additionally, fans can look forward to a significant addition to the Alien universe with the FX show Alien: Earth, crafted by the renowned showrunner Noah Hawley of Fargo and Legion fame. While these projects aren't officially connected, the storied history of Alien and Predator sharing a universe, with their iconic creatures clashing in films, comics, and video games, suggests potential for thrilling developments.
A closer look at the promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth hints at Disney's possible groundwork for a new Alien vs. Predator (AVP) crossover. Let's delve into the recent updates in these franchises and explore why an AVP revival might be imminent.
Evil Easter Eggs ----------------The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands sparked speculation among fans about a potential new Alien vs. Predator installment. It introduced Elle Fanning as a Weyland-Yutani synthetic connected to the film's protagonist, a new Predator named Dek. While the inclusion of a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film alone doesn't confirm a crossover, the significance grows with new promotional content for Alien: Earth.
The Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth is packed with Easter eggs tied to Alien lore. It showcases the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, leading to an egg sac resembling one from Alien: Romulus. A mutated creature resembling a facehugger emerges from the sac aboard a ship similar to the Nostromo, named the Maginot. The creature, designated as "Species 37," hints at unknown DNA, suggesting it might be the origin of Weyland-Yutani's interest in Xenomorphs before the events of Alien.
A related teaser called Crate features specimen containers, with a narrator mentioning the collection of five different life forms. While a classic Xenomorph appears, the introduction of multiple species hints at an expanded universe. Could one of these species be linked to the Predators? This aligns with Predator: Badlands being set on an alien world where Dek hunts extraterrestrial beasts. Perhaps Elle Fanning’s android was searching for these specimens, or one might mutate into a creature seen in Badlands or Killer of Killers. While we await the premiere, the possibility of Predator DNA in Alien: Earth is intriguing.Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History
The shared universe of Alien and Predator dates back further than many might recall. Their first encounter occurred in the 1989 Dark Horse comic series Aliens vs. Predator, before Predator 2 in 1990 featured a Xenomorph skull as an Easter egg. Throughout the '90s, numerous AVP comics and video games reinforced their shared universe, predating the mainstream popularity of cinematic universes seen with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Despite the early trend, the AVP films released in the 2000s, Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, did not capture lasting audience interest due to poor critical reception, despite their box office success. While the superhero and sci-fi genres were gaining ground, AVP was treated as a lesser property by 20th Century Fox, despite the legacy of iconic films like Ridley Scott’s Alien, James Cameron’s Aliens, and John McTiernan’s Predator. The 2010s saw further struggles with the Prometheus series and Shane Black’s The Predator. However, recent successes with Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 have revitalized both franchises, making a new AVP feel more plausible.
AnswerSee ResultsConverging for Carnage ----------------------Adding to the anticipation, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is currently in development, with director Fede Álvarez expressing interest in directing an Alien vs. Predator film. Alien: Romulus's success has revitalized the franchise, and Álvarez envisions a surprise crossover where audiences are unaware of the AVP nature until the other creature appears. This approach could rejuvenate interest and provide a fresh take on the crossover.
The previous AVP films were limited by their Earth-bound settings and two-dimensional characters, leading to fanbase rejection. A new AVP could disregard those films, introducing a fresh narrative. With Predator: Badlands featuring a Predator as the lead, Dek could potentially be the hero of a new AVP, and the crossover could explore the Predalien concept further. An intriguing possibility is the creation of a hybrid being from Engineer mutagen, part Alien, part Predator, and part Engineer.
Both Alien and Predator franchises are thriving more than ever, making a crossover film a tantalizing prospect for Disney. With the current popularity of cinematic universes and cross-medium storytelling, a new AVP seems like a matter of when, not if. Talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg are now part of the equation, promising a potential epic showdown between these iconic monsters on the big screen.
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