Two new Predator movies are coming in 2025 and an Alien: Romulus sequel is in the works

As a long-time fan of the Alien and Predator franchises, I must say that this recent news has me absolutely thrilled! The prospect of seeing Rain and Andy’s stories continue, perhaps even intertwining with Ripley or the characters from the Covenant sequel that never was, is simply too tantalizing to ignore.

Right now is an incredibly exciting period for enthusiasts of vintage sci-fi monster horror movies! Last year, the iconic Predator franchise received a significant boost with the release of Prey. This film pits the alien hunter against the Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) in the Great Plains during the early 1700s. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, Prey has significantly revitalized the franchise; I personally believe it’s one of the best Predator movies ever made, a claim I make as someone who was a huge fan of the original films featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover.

This year, we received two highly anticipated sci-fi sequels from 20th Century – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Alien: Romulus”. Just like “Prey”, they were massive successes, leaving the studio eager to cash in on this wave of popularity and produce follow-ups.

In a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Steve Asbell, an old hand at 20th Century, has spilled some beans about the future of franchises such as Alien, Predator, and Planet of the Apes. It seems we can expect more installments from these series! With Disney taking over in 2019, a major challenge for 20th Century was striking the perfect blend between established franchise pillars and fresh original content. From what Asbell shared, it appears they’ve found the sweet spot at last.

Currently, Asbell mentioned that for the upcoming year, there will likely be a split between new and established movie series. When asked about the proportion of originals and franchises, he explained that initially, they focused on determining the appropriate timeline for their franchise movies, particularly those based on Avatar, Apes, Alien, and Predator. Ensuring these films are successful was their primary goal, which they have now achieved. With this foundation set, they aim to provide a clear schedule for when we can expect new Avatar movies, as well as future installments of Predator and Apes (2027). By establishing a schedule for these franchises, it allows them to explore and decide on the types of original movies they wish to release in various genres.

Before you lose your mind with excitement like I did reading that paragraph, Asbell’s 2027 release date for a new Planet of the Apes is a hypothetical. But it’s a hypothetical he’s comfortable giving, which means it’s something the studio could very well have in mind. After Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes film brought in nearly $400 million at the global box office, hopes are high that there will be a sequel. Hearing that 20th Century is positioning Avatar, Apes, Alien and Predator as its four major sci-fi tentpole franchises means that sequel is all but certain to happen; here’s hoping Ball can make it work around his other big upcoming film, The Legend of Zelda.

Two new Predator movies are coming in 2025 and an Alien: Romulus sequel is in the works

Predator: Badlands has wrapped filming with Elle Fanning

Instead of merely hinting at future films in major franchises, Asbell delved into the details, and his revelations about the Predator series were particularly intriguing. The most thrilling news concerned Predator: Badlands which is set to hit theaters in November 2025. However, that’s not all for Predator fans in 2025! Asbell confirmed that there will be not one, but two Predator films released next year!

“After ‘Prey’ was a hit, Dan [Trachtenberg] expressed his reluctance to make ‘Prey 2’, according to Asbell. Instead, he suggested several unusual but intriguing ideas for new projects. We ended up producing two of them, and both will be released next year. I can’t discuss one yet, but the other is a live-action ‘Predator’ film starring Elle Fanning, which was recently completed in New Zealand. This movie should hit theaters sometime next year.

It’s titled Badlands and it is an absolutely bonkers idea. It is a sci-fi thing, but it’s not what everybody thinks it is. And I mean, it’s awesome. It is so nuts. But in Dan, we trust.
Steve Asbell

It appears we’ve received the most substantial update directly from the studio regarding “Badlands”. In late August, whispers circulated about “Badlands” being filmed in New Zealand with Elle Fanning. These rumors originated from reliable sources on the ground that were corroborated by AvP Galaxy, a well-known Alien and Predator fansite. It seems these rumors hold true, as filming has now concluded.

In terms of what the movie “Badlands” is all about, it seems shrouded in mystery. However, the information leaked about “AvP Galaxy” hints at Fanning playing twin sisters with distinct missions and personalities, one crossing paths with a Predator. That sounds like pure craziness and would be quite intriguing compared to the previous “Predator” films. Given how impressive “Prey” was, I’m ready to trust Trachtenberg’s vision. As Asbell put it, “in Dan we trust.

Two new Predator movies are coming in 2025 and an Alien: Romulus sequel is in the works

Two Predator movies will release in 2025! What’s the second “secret” film?

This discussion leads us to the second Predator movie, which was also helmed by Trachtenberg. Asbell mentioned that the studio has distinct strategies for this film compared to Badlands. He hinted at a secret Predator movie set to release before the theatrical one, but unfortunately, he couldn’t reveal any details about it just yet.

Previously, Asbell compared Badlands to a live-action version of Predator. This leads me to speculate that perhaps this other movie might be an animated production intended for streaming on Hulu. Given that Asbell mentioned only one film being released in theaters, it’s safe to assume that this other project won’t be a theatrical release.

What is the subject matter of the upcoming “secret” Predator movie? This is still a mystery and no specific details have been revealed yet. Asbell mentioned that Trachtenberg wasn’t planning on making a sequel to Prey, but instead offered various other Predator concepts. He also stated that the studio has already pursued two of these ideas, suggesting that the secret film may not be a direct sequel to Prey. However, it could possibly reference those events to connect with Badlands, which is rumored to take place in the near future as opposed to the 1700s like Prey. Alternatively, it might be an entirely different concept. Given that Badlands is set for release in November 2025, we can expect more information about the secret Predator movie to surface next year as we approach its launch.

Two new Predator movies are coming in 2025 and an Alien: Romulus sequel is in the works

Fede Álvarez is in talks to direct an Alien: Romulus sequel

Let’s transition now to the Predator’s most well-known adversary, the Alien franchise. Similar to the movie Prey, the 2024 release, Alien: Romulus, revitalized the series by introducing a fresh set of characters, who found themselves battling against the dreaded xenomorph. Unlike Sigourney Weaver or Michael Fassbender, Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson were tasked with surviving the relentless pursuit of this terrifying creature. Romulus grossed over $350 million globally against a production budget of just $80 million, making it no surprise that 20th Century is eagerly anticipating future Alien films. It appears they’re on the verge of finalizing a deal with director Fede Álvarez to direct the upcoming film as well.

Asbell mentioned that they’re brainstorming a follow-up plan, which isn’t finalized yet with director Fede [Álvarez], but it will be soon. He has an idea in the works, and two standout characters from the original film, Rain and Andy portrayed by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, are central to it. The question that intrigues them is where these characters should go next. They’re certain there will be aliens and terrifying horror scenes, but they’re also captivated by the characters themselves and eager to explore their story further.

It seemed logical to me that Álvarez would be approached for a sequel of ‘Alien: Romulus’, given the movie’s success. However, it’s thrilling to learn that they might also reprise their roles in Spaeny and Jonsson. Unlike the ‘Predator’ films, ‘Alien’ movies usually don’t have recurring cast members except for a few select characters like Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley. I developed quite an affinity for Rain and Andy in ‘Alien: Romulus’, so it would pique my interest to see their post-film destinies, especially considering the possibility of connecting their story with the unrealized sequel to Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien: Covenant’. With numerous potential plotlines to explore, we eagerly anticipate further updates.

Two new Predator movies are coming in 2025 and an Alien: Romulus sequel is in the works

There will “probably” be another Alien vs Predator movie

In conclusion, Asbell too expressed his thoughts on the potential for another Alien vs Predator film. With both the Alien and Predator series having garnered success in their respective realms, as well as tie-in media like comics from the late ’80s featuring these iconic sci-fi characters squaring off against each other, 20th Century produced a couple of crossover films. The Alien vs Predator (2004) and Alien vs Predator: Requiem (2007) received less than favorable responses from fans and are often criticized as among the worst films in either series.

However, these two extraterrestrial combatants keep sparking curiosity, suggesting a strong possibility of engaging audiences financially as well – and it’s likely that another battle between Alien and Predator may appear on the big screen in the future, according to Asbell.

He clarified, “It won’t be what you might expect,” he said. “Here’s the twist: It won’t simply be titled ‘Alien vs. Predator’ or something similar to the original films. Instead, if we move forward, these characters will naturally evolve from the franchises we’ve been developing. If they do combine, it will be with characters we care about deeply. But for now, we haven’t made that decision yet. And we won’t rush into this without careful thought.

Whenever a studio executive brings up the concept of “Alien vs Predator,” I grow apprehensive. However, the prospect of weaving together not just the stories of these fearsome creatures, but also the human characters from both series, could potentially create an intriguing narrative. I’m not claiming it would definitely work, but given its unique angle, it’s worth contemplating the potential outcomes.

Let’s not jump too far ahead. For now, there are two upcoming Predator films next year and an Alien: Earth television series to look forward to. It’s a great time indeed!

2024-10-25 21:42

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