Predator: Badlands Director Dan Trachtenberg Breaks Down Bud, the Timeline, and James Cameron’s Reaction

Director Dan Trachtenberg has opened up in a spoiler-filled interview with Variety, revealing crucial details about the creatures, the timeline placement, and the future of the franchise following the release of Predator: Badlands.

The Mystery of Bud: Murloc Inspiration and Family Themes

One of the most talked-about elements of the film is the small critter Bud, encountered by Thia and Dek. Trachtenberg compared Bud to characters like Rocket Raccoon or Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, explaining that the creature’s cute appearance belies a different nature.

The director confirmed that the design was actually inspired by a Murloc from World of Warcraft. He also addressed fan concerns about the creature being “too cute,” noting:

“A little bit, which is why Bud has dope action scenes and does some gnarly things… There’s always something really cool to me about the badass with the sidekick. I’s something that makes us care in a very specific way. We care about creatures and animals very differently than we care about humans. I love the idea of him backpacking and something little beside him.”

Trachtenberg revealed that the initial concept was far different, leaning into a more supernatural trope:

“I should say, actually, at one point, we went down a road of, maybe it becomes [the Kalisk]. Almost like a gremlin, the same creature that appears small and tiny then molts its skin and then becomes huge. That just felt a little bit too supernatural to me…”

Ultimately, he loved the thematic power of Bud’s family relationship, contrasting with the human protagonists’ struggles: “Dek and Thia are dealing with really upsetting familial situations—abusive parents, so to speak, abusive family—while hunting down what’s supposed to be the most ferocious thing. And actually, that’s the thing in the movie that has the best family relationship.”

The Rock Biter Cameo

Early in the film, a strange, massive creature appears in the background on a cliffside during the title card sequence. Trachtenberg confirmed this fleeting glimpse was intentional, referring to the creature as the “Rock Biter,” a direct nod to The Neverending Story.

I always called that the Rock Biter. There’s a great line in “The Neverending Story”: “A rock biter? A rock biter!” It was always an earworm for me. They’re in the background in a few shots. But you’re like, how come we never actually get up in there and interact with it?

James Cameron’s Scepticism and Stamp of Approval

Legendary director James Cameron is credited in the film, and Trachtenberg shared a compelling story of how the Avatar director went from scepticism to high praise for Badlands. The two met while Trachtenberg was shooting in New Zealand and Cameron was working on Avatar. Trachtenberg pitched Cameron on the technical process of using a prosthetic suit combined with visual effects for the Predator’s face. Cameron’s initial reaction was cautious:

“Then we reconvened at dinner, and when he sat down, he said, ‘I was thinking about what you’re doing on the way over here. And I gotta tell you, think it’s going to work.’ That blew wind in my sails all the way back to Auckland.”

However, after seeing the final cut, Cameron’s written feedback was far more enthusiastic:

“He wrote me a note back that said many things, and one of them was, ‘I have to tell you, when I first heard about what you’re doing, I did not think it was going to work. But holy crap, you really pulled it off.’ And that put wind in my sails.”

Confirmation on the Timeline

A major question surrounding the film was its placement within the Alien and Predator lore. Trachtenberg confirmed that Predator: Badlands takes place further into the future than any other entry in the combined timelines, including Alien: Resurrection, which was set in 2381.

“Very intentionally, it is the furthest into the future in both ‘Predator’ and ‘Alien’… I’d also done so much ‘Predator’ in different time periods that I was excited for this to be in the future, even past ‘Alien: Resurrection.'”

In Alien: Resurrection, the primary antagonist trying to exploit the Xenomorph is the United Systems Military (USM) and the Weyland-Yutani Corporation was bought out by another company. Some other areas of the canon do say that Weyland-Yutani reestablished itself and came back more powerful.

The Future of Predator

When discussing potential sequels, Trachtenberg stated that while he found the ending featuring Dek’s mother “pretty cool,” any future film would need to stand on its own creative merit, not just as a connective thread. He is adopting an approach similar to the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

“Every movie is a complete thought, not that much unlike the early Marvel stuff before the first ‘Avengers’ movie, where it’s like, those are great movies, and lo and behold, we’re actually setting up that things could come together in a delicious way. But they weren’t like, ‘See how everything’s interconnected like crazy all of a sudden!’ So I’m trying to learn that lesson and make sure that any of these movies that we do are awesome ideas for movies on their own.”

With several compelling characters introduced, the director feels the franchise has many “open doors to walk through next.”

Thanks to Nightmare Asylum for the news. Keep your browsers locked on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest Predator: Badlands news! You can follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums. Want to support what we do here at AvP Galaxy and get exclusive perks while doing so? Check out our Patreon!

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