Predator: Badlands director reveals why he missed out on Stranger Things Season 5

by

Dan Trachtenberg, known for his sci-fi work, is about to release Predator: Badlands. He’s also revealed that he wasn’t able to direct an episode of the upcoming fifth season of the popular show Stranger Things, despite being considered.

I couldn’t believe the news when I heard it! Netflix actually announced Dan Trachtenberg was going to be involved with the final season of the show way back in June 2023. It’s crazy to think that was only a year after his first Predator movie, Prey, blew everyone away when it came out on Hulu. I’ve been a fan ever since!

Fans of the Predator franchise are really excited about the upcoming movie, Predator: Badlands, thanks to Trachtenberg’s work on Prey and the animated film, Predator: Killer of Killers.

After learning that Trachtenberg would be in Stranger Things Season 5, TopMob asked him about his experience collaborating with the Duffer brothers, noting they also worked on the Predator: Badlands project.

Dan Trachtenberg was supposed to direct the third episode of Stranger Things Season 5

Okay, so I just learned something amazing about ‘Predator: Badlands’! The director, Dan Trachtenberg, revealed how he managed to get the Duffer Brothers – you know, the creators of ‘Stranger Things’ – to make a secret cameo in the film. Apparently, he reached out to them directly, and they were totally on board! It’s such a cool little Easter egg for fans like me, and I’m even more excited to rewatch it now knowing they’re in there somewhere!

— ScreenTime (@screentime) October 31, 2025

Given that Stranger Things Season 5 will be the massive, final chapter of the Hawkins story, it’s understandable why Netflix and the Duffer brothers brought Danny Trachtenberg onto the project.

So, I was curious about the Duffer Brothers’ involvement in Predator: Badlands, and Trachtenberg explained it was really cool they got to collaborate again – they did a voice cameo as the Predator ship! It was just a fun way for them to still work together on something, which is awesome.

I was originally scheduled to direct the third episode of Stranger Things and had begun working on it, but then this film project was approved, so I had to switch focus.

I was considering working on ‘Killer of Killers’ and then traveling to New Zealand for another project. However, since both opportunities arose at the same time, I unfortunately had to decline one of them.

I suddenly wondered if they’d be willing to make a quick appearance in the movie. They were really enthusiastic about it, but also a little worried since they weren’t actors.

I suggested we make it sound like a computer was speaking, and surprisingly, the creators, the Duffer brothers, actually recorded lines in the language of the Predator – Yautja! It was a really enjoyable experience.

The third episode of Stranger Things Season 5 should be fascinating, as it will reveal if director Amy Seimetz’s background in horror, creature effects, and practical effects helped the characters in their battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

Read More

2025-10-31 19:20