(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Last year's critically acclaimed sixth live-action film in the "Predator" franchise, "Badlands," recently debuted on Disney+ and is now available on home video. Writer-director Dan Trachtenberg has continued promotional interviews for the film. In a recent chat with Screen Rant, Trachtenberg divulged more characters that were originally slated to appear in the movie and the reasons behind their eventual exclusion.
(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Trachtenberg revealed that the initial script and unfinished visual effects for "Badlands" actually featured the Alien, Arnold Schwarzenegger's iconic Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer from the original "Predator," and the extraterrestrial creature known as the Back Biter, which appeared in the comic series "Predator: Killer of Killers." However, extensive cuts to that particular sequence meant audiences wouldn't get to see them. Trachtenberg specified that the scene in question was the opening segment where Dekker chooses which planet to undergo his trial. His original intention for including these characters was to pay homage to the various adversaries the Predator has faced throughout its history.
(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Trachtenberg elaborated, stating, "Dekker and his brother had a much longer conversation, or they talked more about the idea of 'choosing your planet,' but for a longer time. So there would be more holograms in the background. What we see now in the finished product is more soft focus in the foreground; you can probably still see a part of it."
Trachtenberg previously mentioned that he had considered having Naru, the protagonist from "Prey," return as the lead in "Badlands" and team up with Dekker. In this latest interview, he further explained his decision to abandon that concept. He noted that while stories of Predators teaming with humans have been explored before, a film centered solely on a Predator protagonist had not yet been made. Therefore, he wanted to try that approach first, reserving Naru's return for other, "cooler" stories in the future.
via： Screen Rant