Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator Trilogy: Watch All 3 Movies At Home

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Although not officially a trilogy, Dan Trachtenberg has directed three consecutive Predator films for Disney, and they’re all currently available to watch at home. Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers have always been exclusive to Disney+, and now Predator: Badlands has joined them – though it’s available for purchase or rental (PVOD) rather than on Disney+ itself.

While not a traditional trilogy with connected storylines, the last three Predator movies—directed by Trachtenberg—feel like a cohesive set. The Predator franchise has never actually had a direct sequel; each film tells its own story, linked only by the presence of the Yautja creatures. However, Trachtenberg’s unique style ties these recent films together, and they’re all fantastic.

Dan Trachtenberg Has Directed 3 Predator Movies For Disney

Dan Trachtenberg has directed four feature films, including three installments in the Predator series. He initially gained recognition for 10 Cloverfield Lane, a suspenseful thriller that cleverly presented itself as a large-scale monster movie. Following that success, and after directing well-received episodes of The Boys and Black Mirror, Disney brought him on board to revitalize the Predator franchise.

The director had a really unique idea for the new Predator movie. Instead of another story about soldiers fighting an alien hunter, he set it in the early 1700s, mixing historical fiction with the Predator concept. Prey focuses on a young Comanche woman named Naru, whose first hunt turns out to be much more challenging than she expected.

Following the positive reception of Prey, fans wondered what time period the next Predator movie would explore. Instead of choosing just one, the creators delivered an anthology with three distinct stories. Predator: Killer of Killers features battles between a Predator and warriors from three different eras: Vikings, samurai, and a World War II fighter pilot.

After successfully launching two Predator stories directly to streaming, director Dan Trachtenberg returned the franchise to theaters with Predator: Badlands. This new installment offered a fresh take on the familiar formula by surprisingly casting the Predator as the protagonist. Predator: Badlands tells a coming-of-age story, following a determined young Predator as he journeys to the most perilous planet in the galaxy to achieve his first hunt.

Look, after directing three films now, Shane Black and now Trachtenberg have really become the driving force behind the Predator universe – almost like the Kevin Feige of that franchise, if you will. And honestly, it’s exciting! For the first time, I’m actually optimistic about where these Predator movies are headed. It feels like the series finally has a real future.

How Disney’s New Predator Movies Are Connected

Although each of Trachtenberg’s Predator films tells its own story, they do share some connections. For example, the hover bikes used by Dek and his father in Predator: Badlands were originally seen in Killer of Killers.

The ending of Predator: Killer of Killers reveals that Predators have been collecting characters from past Predator films – including Naru from Prey – and keeping them in stasis. This suggests a potential future sequel where these characters could team up, creating a Predator universe similar to Marvel’s Battleworld.

John McTiernan’s Predator films aren’t just connected to each other and the rest of the Predator series—they also share connections with the Alien movies, hinting at a potential new Alien vs. Predator crossover. The powerful corporation Weyland-Yutani plays a significant role in Predator: Badlands, and the climactic fight even includes the same robotic loader Ripley used to defeat the Alien Queen in Aliens.

Will Dan Trachtenberg Direct Another Predator Movie?

Despite having already made three Predator movies, director Shane Black still has plans for more. Predator: Prey hinted at a potential crossover with earlier films in the franchise, and Predator: Badlands concluded by establishing a makeshift family and setting up a new villain: the mother of one of the characters.

Despite not doing well in theaters, Predator: Badlands has been very popular on demand, which is a good sign for the future of the Predator series. It could end up on Disney+, and director Trachtenberg has proven he knows what he’s doing with these films, so he should definitely continue to lead the way.

The Predator Franchise Is Finally Exciting Again

The Predator franchise is thrilling audiences again thanks to the direction of Trachtenberg. It hasn’t felt this good since the original 1987 film, which promised so much. After 35 years, a filmmaker has finally arrived who’s delivering on that promise and bringing fresh, creative ideas to the Predator universe.

For a long time, the Predator movies kept getting worse with each new release. Sequels like Predators and The Predator didn’t offer much hope, as the series hadn’t produced a truly good film since the original, and it seemed like trying to build a franchise around Predator was a lost cause. However, with director Trachtenberg taking the reins, the series has become a legitimately strong sci-fi story again.

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2026-01-13 18:42