Elle Fanning’s Role in ‘Predator: Badlands’ Hints at Major Connection to the ‘Alien’ Universe

The Predator series is back in a big way! Later this year, fans will get not one, but two new entries. Alongside the animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers, a brand-new live-action film called Predator: Badlands is coming to theaters on November 7, 2025. Directed by Prey filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, this movie takes the franchise in a bold new direction.

Starring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, the story is set on a distant planet and follows a young Predator who has been cast out by his clan. He teams up with a human named Thia (played by Fanning) on a dangerous mission to find the ultimate enemy. This time, the Predator is the hero!

Trachtenberg says the goal is to let fans root for the Predator, just like in Prey, and now, following the movie’s trailer, fans have a good idea from who the Predator might be running from.

In the trailer at the 0:26 mark, we can see Elle Fanning’s character and the Weyland logo reflected in her eyes.

This suggests that she will play a Weyland-Yutani android and that Xenomorphs and Predators are once again in the same universe.

The same logo can be seen later in the trailer on her uniform.

The last movie that showed both Xenomorphs and Predators together was Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. It came out in 2007. In the movie, a Predator and a new creature called a Predalien (a mix of Predator and Xenomorph) fight on Earth. It was the second movie in the Alien vs. Predator series.

The first one, Alien vs. Predator, came out in 2004. Since then, the two creatures have been in their own separate movies. Naturally, fans are excited about this crossover.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!