Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. The excitement begins with two new Predator films from Prey director Dan Trachtenberg: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers. Additionally, the Alien universe will expand with a major new entry from Fargo and Legion showrunner Noah Hawley, the FX show Alien: Earth. While these projects are not officially linked, the shared universe of Alien and Predator has a rich history, with the iconic creatures intersecting in numerous films, comics, and video games.
Analyzing the latest promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth suggests that Disney might be setting the stage for a new crossover between Alien and Predator. Let's delve into the developments in these franchises and explore why we might see AVP return to the big screen sooner rather than later.
Evil Easter Eggs ----------------The first teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands sparked speculation among fans about a potential new Alien vs. Predator film. The trailer introduced Elle Fanning as a Weyland-Yutani synthetic with a connection to a new Predator named Dek, confirmed by Trachtenberg as the film's protagonist. While a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film isn't a definitive sign of an Alien crossover, the significance grows with the new promotional videos for Alien: Earth.
In the Gestation Complete teaser, multiple Easter eggs tie into Alien lore. We see the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, used by the Engineers to seed life on Earth, leading to an egg sac similar to one in Alien: Romulus. The creature emerging resembles a facehugger but with mutations. This specimen, contained on a ship resembling the Nostromo but named the Maginot, is designated "Species 37" and marked as having unknown DNA by the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR. Given that Alien: Earth is set two years before the original Alien, this suggests that Species 37 may have been the initial clue leading 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. While a classic Xenomorph is shown, the inclusion of five species suggests an expansion of the alien roster. Could one of these be related to the Predators? This aligns with Predator: Badlands being set on an alien world where Dek hunts extraterrestrial monstrosities. Perhaps Elle Fanning's android was searching for these specimens, or one of these monsters might mutate into something featured in Badlands or Killer of Killers. While we await the premiere, the possibility of Predator DNA in Alien: Earth is intriguing.Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History
Alien and Predator have shared a universe since the 1989 Dark Horse comic series Aliens vs. Predator, predating their first cinematic clash in the 2004 film. Predator 2 in 1990 included a Xenomorph skull as an Easter egg, further cementing their connection. Throughout the '90s, numerous AVP comics and video games reinforced this shared universe, long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe popularized the concept.
Despite the early start, the AVP films released in the 2000s, Alien vs. Predator in 2004 and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem in 2007, did not capture audiences' hearts due to poor critical reception, despite box office success. The trend of serialized superhero and sci-fi blockbusters was emerging, but AVP was treated as a B-tier property by 20th Century Fox, despite the strong legacy of both franchises. Ridley Scott's Alien, James Cameron's Aliens, and John McTiernan's Predator are all iconic films, yet the AVP films did not meet the same standards. The 2010s saw further challenges with the Prometheus series and Shane Black's The Predator, but the success of Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 has revitalized both franchises.
With teases of upcoming projects, the prospect of a new AVP feels closer than ever.
AnswerSee ResultsConverging for Carnage ----------------------A sequel to Alien: Romulus is currently in development, with director Fede Álvarez set to return and expressing interest in directing an Alien vs. Predator film. Romulus was a critical and commercial success, revitalizing the franchise while maintaining connections to the Prometheus series. With characters Rain Carradine and Andy in stasis heading to Yvaga III, a direct sequel could explore their journey further. Given that Predator: Badlands is also set in space, there's potential for cameos or Easter eggs hinting at a Romulus connection.
Álvarez suggested that the best way to approach an Alien vs. Predator movie would be to surprise audiences, as he told Collider: "The best AVP will be the one that you don’t know is AVP until the other guy shows up. You think you’re watching a Predator movie, and then they land in some place and there are creatures, and fucking hell, it’s a Xenomorph. That would get me. … Or vice versa, you’re in an Alien movie, and then suddenly a mysterious creature is there, and you can hear that sound, and you see the cloak, and you go, ‘Is that a fucking Predator?’"
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Álvarez's enthusiasm for AVP offers hope for a successful new take on the crossover. The previous films, set on contemporary Earth, had limited scope and struggled with two-dimensional characters. A new AVP could disregard these films and start fresh. With Predator: Badlands featuring a Predator as the lead, Dek could potentially become the hero of a new AVP. Additionally, a new entry could expand on the Predalien concept, perhaps using Engineer mutagen to create a hybrid of Alien, Predator, and Engineer—a truly terrifying prospect.
With both Alien and Predator franchises in a healthier state than in years, the idea of a crossover film is likely on Disney's radar. Given the popularity of cinematic universes and cross-medium integration, a new AVP feels inevitable. With talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg involved, these iconic monsters may finally get the epic big screen battle they deserve.
