“Predator: Badlands” director Dan Trachtenberg has a long history with Hall H. For eight years in a row, he lined up and waited overnight to witness some of San Diego Comic-Con’s most epic moments, from the first footage of Iron Man to the moment the Avengers assembled. “I was here for the infamous pencil stabbing,” Trachtenberg told the sold-out crowd. “I was a material witness.” (“The Avengers didn’t do shit,” joked Kevin Smith, who moderated the panel.)
But on Friday, it was time for Trachtenberg to make a little Hall H history of his own — as the “Predator” guru debuted new footage from not one, but two of his entries in the “Predator” franchise.
Kevin Smith and “Predator: Badlands” director Dan Trachtenberg in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con.
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
First, Trachtenberg addressed “Predator: Killer of Killers,” which is currently streaming on Hulu. “Unfortunately, some bits of ‘Killer of Killers’ were left on the cutting room floor, but recently we were able to sneak it back in,” Trachtenberg said, cueing up a clip which would only play for the fans in the room.
The new footage functions as a credits scene to the movie, which originally ended on with a cameo of Amber Midthunder’s Naru from “Prey,” as one of the human warriors captured and frozen by the Predators. Now, the camera continues to pan right, first revealing Danny Glover’s Lt. Mike Harrigan and then Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, who originated the franchise.
“Recently I had a little breakfast with Arnold — and super self-conscious about what I ordered,” Trachtenberg explained. “We talked a lot about the things we could make together and he was very kind to approve his cameo in this. And we can now continue to cook up things that may be in store for that guy.” The director then announced that the new footage will debut Friday night at 7 p.m. PT on Hulu.
The conversation then turned to “Predator: Badlands,” where stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, and effects designer Alec Gillis details the ins and outs of making the movie. “Badlands’ is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatan), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
While the movie doesn’t open in movie theaters until Nov. 7, Comic-Con fans got a sneak peek an unfinished cut of the film’s first 15 minutes.
More to come…
Alec Gillis, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Kevin Smith, Elle Fanning and Dan Trachtenberg onstage during the “Predator: Badlands” panel in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DisneyAlberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Elle Fanning poses with The Predator backstage at Comic-Con.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
