Is Another Alien vs. Predator Movie on the Horizon?

Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. The excitement begins with two new Predator films from the acclaimed director of Prey, Dan Trachtenberg: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers. Additionally, the Alien universe is expanding with a major new entry from the showrunner of Fargo and Legion, Noah Hawley, titled Alien: Earth, set to air on FX. While these projects aren't officially linked yet, the shared history of Alien and Predator in a connected universe is well-known, with these iconic creatures having crossed paths in multiple films, comic books, and video games.

By closely examining the promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth, we might uncover hints that Disney is setting the stage for a new crossover between Alien and Predator. Let's delve into the latest developments in these franchises and explore why we might see an Alien vs. Predator (AVP) return to the big screen sooner rather than later.

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The first teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands has sparked speculation among fans about a potential new Alien vs. Predator installment. It reveals that Elle Fanning will play a Weyland-Yutani synthetic with a connection to a new Predator named Dek, confirmed by Trachtenberg as the film's protagonist. While the inclusion of a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film doesn't necessarily signal a major Alien crossover, it gains significance with the new promotional videos for Alien: Earth.

The Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth is filled with Easter eggs related to Alien lore. It features the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, used by the Engineers to seed life on Earth, leading to an egg sac similar to one seen in Alien: Romulus. The creature emerging resembles a mutated facehugger and is found on a ship resembling the Nostromo, though named the Maginot. This creature, designated "Species 37," has unknown DNA and is linked to the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR. Given that the show is set two years before the original Alien, it suggests that Species 37 could be what initially alerted Weyland-Yutani to the Xenomorphs.

A related teaser called Crate features specimen containers, with a narrator stating that the ship “collected five different life forms from the darkest corners of the universe,” each a unique species. Alongside a classic Xenomorph, this suggests the show is expanding the universe's roster of alien creatures significantly. Could one of these species be linked to the Predators? This theory aligns with Predator: Badlands being set on an alien world where Dek hunts extraterrestrial monsters. Perhaps Elle Fanning’s android was searching for these specimens, or one of these creatures might mutate into something we’ll see in Badlands or Killer of Killers. While we won't know for sure until the series premieres, the possibility of Predator DNA in Alien: Earth is intriguing.

Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History

The Alien and Predator franchises have been intertwined since the 1989 Dark Horse comic series Aliens vs. Predator, well before the first AVP film in 2004. The following year, Predator 2 included an Easter egg with a Xenomorph skull on the Predator’s ship, further cementing their shared universe. Despite numerous AVP comics and video games throughout the '90s, the mainstream popularity of shared universes didn't fully catch on until later with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The 2000s saw two AVP films, but they failed to resonate with audiences and critics due to lackluster storytelling and execution, despite their box office success. While superhero and sci-fi blockbusters were on the rise, AVP was treated as a B-tier property by 20th Century Fox, despite the iconic status of films like Ridley Scott’s original Alien, James Cameron’s Aliens, and John McTiernan’s Predator. The 2010s brought further challenges with the commercial disappointment of Alien: Covenant and the failure of The Predator to rejuvenate its franchise. However, the successes of Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 have revitalized both series, setting the stage for potential new developments, including an AVP crossover.

Is it time for a new Alien vs. Predator movie? ----------------------------------------------

Yes.No.Let's discuss in the comments.Uh, whoever wins... we lose?

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A sequel to Alien: Romulus is currently in development, with director Fede Álvarez set to return and expressing interest in helming an AVP film. Alien: Romulus was a critical and commercial success, reinvigorating the franchise while maintaining ties to the Prometheus series. The sequel will likely continue the journey of Rain Carradine and Andy, who are in stasis heading to Yvaga III. With Predator: Badlands also set in space, there could be opportunities for cameos or Easter eggs hinting at a connection to Alien: Romulus.

Álvarez has suggested that the best approach to an AVP movie would be to surprise the audience: "The best AVP will be the one that you don’t know is AVP until the other guy shows up," he told Collider. This twist could involve starting with a Predator film that unexpectedly introduces Xenomorphs, or vice versa.

The Alien Movies' Long History of Recycling Rejected Ideas

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Álvarez's enthusiasm for an AVP project offers hope that a fresh take on the crossover could succeed where previous efforts fell short. The previous AVP films were constrained by their Earth-bound settings and struggled with two-dimensional characters. A new AVP could disregard those films and start anew, with Predator: Badlands introducing Dek as a potential lead for a new crossover. Additionally, such a film could explore the Predalien concept further, perhaps incorporating Engineer mutagen to create a hybrid being that's part Alien, part Predator, and part Engineer.

With both the Alien and Predator franchises now in a stronger position than in recent years, the idea of a crossover film is increasingly appealing. Given the popularity of cinematic universes and cross-medium storytelling, a new AVP film seems more a matter of when, not if. With talented directors like Álvarez and Trachtenberg at the helm, these iconic monsters might finally get the epic battle they deserve on the big screen.