Exclusive: Go Behind the Scenes of Predator: Badlands with Director Dan Trachtenberg & Star Elle Fanning
The premise of Predator: Badlands is a major inversion of the franchise's standard formula: the Predator is the protagonist, not the monster being hunted by humans.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey), this installment takes a massive swing, making the alien hunter the protagonist for the first time in franchise history. The film stars Elle Fanning as Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic who forms an unlikely alliance with our lead, the young, outcast Predator "Dek," played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.
The cast and director recently sat down with the Tribune to discuss this new direction of the franchise.
Director Dan Trachtenberg was tasked with taking the franchise in a new direction. He shared what inspired him to change the discussion from man vs predator to examining the inner workings of the species' world.
“We've always been drawn to the creature sidekick or the monster villain, yet they have never taken the lead in their own films. The primary concept was to create an experience unlike any we've encountered before, allowing the predator to remain brutal and ferocious while also revealing a deeper emotional inner life. This character will face challenges akin to those faced by Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in the original movie. The narrative is told from the creature's perspective, contrasting with previous films where the focus is on man versus creature. We discover that there is a hierarchy within the clan, which enhances our understanding of their viewpoint,” the director states.
One of the things audiences get to see is the inner workings of the Predator Clan.
“It was important for us to tell a story that didn’t downplay the monster in any way. So we decided he should be formidable; as badass as he is, what he faces—both emotionally within his family and out in the world—needs to be even more brutal than he is. I believe that people from all backgrounds can relate to thoughts about what makes us worthy and our desire to prove ourselves to others, as well as to ourselves,” Trachtenberg explains.
The other aspect that makes Predator: Badlands so interesting is that there aren’t any humans present. The main two characters are Thia, portrayed by Elle Fanning, an artificial life form, and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as the Predator “Dek.”
These two strange bedfellows find themselves having to work together to conquer their common enemies.
For Fanning, an Emmy Award-nominated actress, this was a different type of role. She shared what drew her to the role.
“I wonder, how are you going to do this? It was a fantastic read, but I'm unsure if we'll actually accomplish this. He (Dan Trachtenberg) was like, "Yes, we are." He had devised several methods, including movie tricks and magic. The effects are outstanding, but I'm most proud that we finished it. I wore blue stockings for the whole of the video, and we were back to back, fastened together, floating through the air on these lines in New Zealand, in genuine locales, linked up to trees and passing through rivers and mountains. I didn't think it would be possible. It seemed like the ultimate challenge, but we actually succeeded. When we finished it, it gave us a sense of accomplishment,” is how she described entering the Predator universe.
Schuster-Koloamatangi had the bigger challenge. He had to convey emotions in prosthetics while speaking a whole new language.
“I had the privilege of creating Dick from the ground up. For me, it was all about understanding him, his psyche, and where he was coming from. So it entailed knowing Yautja culture, the codes that they follow, his particular clan in general, and ultimately creating stories about the Yautja people. And we've never seen a predator as a protagonist. So we've never been able to relate to or comprehend their trip or why they go on these quests. Yeah, in addition to all the prosthetics and the language, I really wanted to focus on this individual Yautja and authentically represent his experience going through these horrible times,” the actor shared.
Predator: Badlands offers a unique yet action-packed addition to the franchise. Fans will have the opportunity to explore the Predators' perspective, while the action remains as intense as in previous installments.
The film comes to theaters in the US on November the 7th.