Dan Trachtenberg Explains the ‘Predator: Badlands’ Duffer Brothers Cameo

The new Predator film quickly became the most-watched title on Hulu after its release last week. As the third installment in the Predator franchise – and one of the best-received – it’s drawn a lot of viewers curious about its fresh take on the story. The original film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, followed a team of mercenaries hunted by a dangerous alien in the jungle. This latest movie also features a hidden cameo that appears after the credits roll.

In a recent interview with MovieWeb, director Trachtenberg revealed that the voice of Kwei’s Ship Computer was provided by the creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers. He shared with us:

I was originally scheduled to appear in the final season of Stranger Things, but around the same time, both Badlands and Killers were approved for production. I realized I couldn’t handle all three projects at once, so I had to decline the Stranger Things role. I did become good friends with the Duffer Brothers, and we ended up working with the same sound team. We were both mixing our shows at the same studio, and I jokingly asked if they’d be open to me making a small cameo appearance on Stranger Things while we were recording the voice of a spaceship for Badlands.

It’s amusing because I might not have fully explained that the characters speak a language that’s incredibly difficult to pronounce. We had a lot of fun in the recording booth, and having two actors play the roles let us blend their voices to create a more robotic sound. It’s also funny that the cast is so small – there are only five names in the credits, and these two actors take up two of those spots, which is really neat.

‘Predator Badlands‘ Has Continued the Franchise’s Renaissance

20th Century Studios

It’s proven surprisingly difficult to make a truly great Predator sequel. Despite numerous attempts by directors like Stephen Hopkins, Nimród Antal, Shane Black, Paul W. S. Anderson, and the team of Greg and Colin Strause, and featuring stars such as Danny Glover, Bill Paxton, Adrien Brody, Mahershala Ali, Laurence Fishburne, Thomas Jane, and Boyd Holbrook, almost every follow-up to the 1987 original has fallen short of expectations and failed to fully satisfy audiences.

Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey, a Predator prequel, quietly arrived on Disney+ during the pandemic. Starring Amber Midthunder and set long before the original film, it quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed entries in the franchise. The movie offered a straightforward story, intense action, and a truly terrifying Predator – giving fans exactly what they’d been hoping for: a classic, no-frills Predator experience after decades of waiting.

The animated anthology film Killer of Killers followed, earning high praise on Netflix in 2025. This success led to Trachtenberg’s most acclaimed work yet, Predator: Badlands, which uniquely presented the Predator as the hero and moved a potential Alien/Predator crossover closer to becoming a reality.

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The future of the Predator franchise is exciting, but its exact direction is still up in the air. There are several possibilities being considered, and the main challenge now is deciding which one to pursue first. Director Trachtenberg has successfully revitalized the series, and fans are eagerly anticipating the next installment, which will have a lot to live up to.

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2026-02-15 16:19

‘Predator Badlands‘ Has Continued the Franchise’s Renaissance

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