Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. With two new Predator films on the horizon from Prey director Dan Trachtenberg, including the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers, along with a new entry in the Alien universe from Fargo and Legion showrunner Noah Hawley titled Alien: Earth on FX, excitement is palpable. While these projects aren't officially linked, the shared universe of Alien and Predator has a rich history of crossovers in films, comics, and video games, suggesting potential connections.
A closer look at the promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth hints at Disney possibly setting the stage for a new Alien vs. Predator (AVP) crossover. Let's delve into the developments and why an AVP film might be closer than we think.
Evil Easter Eggs ----------------The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands sparked speculation among fans about an impending AVP film. It revealed Elle Fanning playing a Weyland-Yutani synthetic connected to a new Predator named Dek, the film's protagonist as confirmed by Trachtenberg. While this alone doesn't confirm a crossover, the promotional videos for Alien: Earth add intrigue.
The Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth is laden with Alien lore Easter eggs. It features the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, leading to an egg sac resembling one seen in Alien: Romulus. A mutated creature, akin to a facehugger, emerges on a ship similar to the Nostromo, named the Maginot. This creature, dubbed "Species 37," hints at a connection to the Xenomorphs, with the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR, marking it as having unknown DNA. Given that Alien: Earth is set two years before the original Alien, this suggests that Species 37 could be the initial clue leading Weyland-Yutani to the Xenomorphs.
The Crate teaser further expands on this, showcasing specimen containers and mentioning five different life forms collected from the universe's darkest corners. The presence of a classic Xenomorph and the mention of five species suggest a broader roster of alien creatures, potentially including ones related to the Predators. This aligns with Predator: Badlands being set on an alien world where Dek hunts extraterrestrial monstrosities, raising questions about connections between the two series.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. Predator 2 in 1990 featured a Xenomorph skull as an Easter egg, further solidifying their shared universe. Despite the 2004 and 2007 AVP films receiving poor reviews, the concept of a shared universe predates the mainstream popularity seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The 2000s AVP films, despite their box office success, were critically panned and treated as a B-tier property by 20th Century Fox. Iconic films like Ridley Scott's Alien, James Cameron's Aliens, and John McTiernan's Predator set high standards that the AVP films failed to meet. The 2010s saw further struggles with Ridley Scott's Prometheus series and Shane Black's The Predator. However, the success of Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 has revitalized both franchises, making the prospect of a new AVP film more appealing.
AnswerSee ResultsConverging for Carnage ----------------------A sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development, with director Fede Álvarez returning and expressing interest in directing an AVP film. Alien: Romulus was a critical and commercial success, rekindling the franchise while maintaining connections to the Prometheus series. With characters like Rain Carradine and Andy heading to Yvaga III, and Predator: Badlands also set in space, the potential for cameos or Easter eggs linking the two films is high.
Álvarez has suggested that the best approach for an AVP film would be to surprise audiences, transitioning from a Predator or Alien movie into an unexpected crossover. This approach could breathe new life into the concept, distancing it from the previous films' shortcomings.
The Alien Movies' Long History of Recycling Rejected Ideas
View 12 Images
Álvarez's enthusiasm for AVP offers hope for a successful revival. The previous films' Earth-bound settings limited their scope, and their characters lacked depth. A new AVP could ignore these films' continuity and start afresh, perhaps with Dek from Predator: Badlands as the lead, and explore concepts like the Predalien or a new hybrid creature involving Engineer mutagen.
With both Alien and Predator franchises thriving, the idea of a crossover film is undoubtedly on Disney's radar. In an era where cinematic universes and cross-medium integration are thriving, a new AVP film seems inevitable. With talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg involved, these iconic monsters may finally clash on the big screen in the epic battle fans have long awaited.
