Dan Trachtenberg introduced the warrior known as Naru (Amber Midthunder) in his first Predator movie Prey, and the character more recently returned to the screen via a brief cameo in Trachtenberg’s animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers. So too did Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover’s survivor characters from Predator and Predator 2, suggesting the filmmaker is building towards some sort of endgame. And it seems that’s very much the case.

In a chat with ScreenTime, Trachtenberg reveals that he almost used Naru in the Thia role for his third Predator movie, Predator: Badlands. For now, however, he decided to hold back.

“There’s a bigger plan down the line,” Trachtenberg tells the outlet.

He continues, “I did think about the pairing of [the Predator and Naru]… before it was Thia… but then I thought, well, now I’m not doing the premise. And I really wanted to do the premise. The Predator’s the protagonist, and no humans in the movie.

“And so it became further down the line… we can do some cooler things maybe.”

Trachtenberg’s future plans may also include bringing Arnold Schwarzenegger back into the franchise as Dutch in a live action movie. Conversations, we’ve heard, have taken place.

For now, no future Predator projects beyond Predator: Badlands have been announced at this time. But the film opened strong at the box office, suggesting more may be on the way soon.

Stay tuned for much more on all things Predator as we learn it.

Dan Trachtenberg originally wanted to bring Amber Midthunder back for ‘PREDATOR: BADLANDS’ pic.twitter.com/kKDJYUVtVJ

— ScreenTime (@screentime) November 3, 2025