Filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg has pulled off the impossible with his work in the Predator franchise, as he officially brought the series back from the dead. The original 1987 movie is a staple of ’80s sci-fi cinema, though it belongs on a list of countless other franchises that failed to replicate the success of the entry that kicked things off.
In 2022, Trachtenberg unleashed Prey straight to Hulu, dazzling audiences with an adventure in which the iconic Yautja faced off with a Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder). The movie proved you don’t always have to fully reimagine beloved lore yet could still find fresh ways to explore such a character, and still find success. With Predator: Badlands, the filmmaker made the Yautja the protagonist, similarly finding a way to balance the history of the series while exploring new aspects of the lore.
Earlier this year, franchise icon Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed at a convention that he was in talks to return to the Predator franchise. Earlier this week, the actor appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with the actor solidifying his involvement in a new Predator movie. Additionally, the actor similarly confirmed returns for Conan the Barbarian and Commando sequels.
Speaking to those projects, the actor shared, “I’m looking forward to seeing the scripts because that’s where the action is. What’s not on the page is not on the stage, so I’m just waiting for the scripts to get perfected and then we go and start shooting those things.”
If the actor is still waiting for the scripts, it’s currently unknown how significant his on-screen involvement in these adventures will be, but this latest update at least confirms he’s still attached to whatever is in store for these respective franchises.
After the original Predator, follow-up entries Predator 2, Alien vs. Predator, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, Predators, and The Predator all failed to reignite big-screen enthusiasm in the concept. Regardless of the talent on screen or behind the camera, audiences and critics largely felt these titles underwhelmed, which is what made Prey feel like such a surprise, given how it was devoid of familiar faces.
Trachtenberg first followed Prey with the animated Predator: Killer of Killers, which featured stories of the Yautja battling warriors at different points in time. It was released in June of 2025, and a month later, a surprise epilogue was added to the film that featured Schwarzenegger’s return as Dutch Schaefer and Danny Glover‘s return as Predator 2‘s Mike Harrigan. The actor’s most recent remarks tease a more substantial live-action return.
After a sequel and a reboot starring Jason Momoa, Schwarzenegger revealed earlier this year that he would be returning for King Conan, which will be developed by Christopher McQuarrie. The new Commando would mark the first sequel to the 1985 film.
Stay tuned for updates on Schwarzenegger’s upcoming sequels.
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