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  • ‘Predator: Badlands’ Interview: Director Dan Trachtenberg

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    Available on Hulu and 4K Ultra HD February 12th, and on Blu-ray and DVD February 17th is ‘Predator: Badlands’, which is the seventh film in the popular franchise and once again directed by Dan Trachtenberg following his work on ‘Prey’ and ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’, and stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (‘Red, White & Brass’) and Elle Fanning (‘Sentimental Value’).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Dan Trachtenberg about his work on ‘Predator: Badlands’, coming up with the new story, connecting it to the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ series, making the Predator the protagonist, creating the Predator language, casting Elle Fanning in her dual roles, and what fans can expect from future installments of the franchise.

    (L to R) Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, director Dan Trachtenberg, and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    (L to R) Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, director Dan Trachtenberg, and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Dan Trachtenberg Talks ‘Prey’ Blu-ray and the ‘Predator’ Franchise

    Director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    Director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about breaking the story for this film, and was it something that you were thinking about while you were making ‘Prey’?

    Dan Trachtenberg: It came at the tail end of ‘Prey’. I just started thinking about, what would we do next if we were to do another one? I really felt like, if the next thing is just part two of what we just did, then the movie doesn’t get to stand on its own merits. Sometimes, you make a special thing and then part two is just the sequel to the special thing, not a special thing in and of itself. So, it was like, what would be another idea if I was making a first Predator movie again? There was this fan sentiment about the Predator of like, “Why does he always lose?” So that sparked the idea of, “Okay, if the Predator wins, what would be a story in which I could be rooting for the Predator? That led to the Predator as the protagonist and being thrust into the gauntlet like Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Naru (Amber Midthunder), and Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover). You know, like all the protagonists go through. What if the Predator was going through that gauntlet? Then really wanting to find a story where you could emotionally connect with this monster and have a great time with. I did not want to put any humans in the movie because if we put in a human, then it would just become a two-hander again and the human would feel like a protagonist so that’s why it became a robot. The idea of a broken robot, like Chewbacca and C-3PO, and then Weyland-Yutani and Synths, so it all spiraled from thinking of “what hasn’t been done” in Predator movies and what hasn’t been done in sci-fi.

    MF: The film has several references to other Predator movies but also contains Easter Eggs for the ‘Alien’ series and the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ franchise. Can you talk about the choice to include those references in this movie?

    DT: With ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’, it’s not taking the big action figures and throwing them together, but instead, taking a little portion from one franchise and have that interwoven into the other, to say that’s another way of universe unifying and building it. That felt exciting to me. Frankly, it was born out of what the story wanted anyway. If the ‘Alien’ franchise was at another studio, we still would have made this movie. It just wouldn’t have been Weyland-Yutani as the company, but because it could be Wayland, it meant that then we could include MU/TH/UR and have it reflected in the father dynamic that Dek has. So, all of that made the movie richer but it wasn’t like, “We need to do ‘Alien vs. Predator’ How are we going to do that?” It didn’t come from that; it came from the narrative needs.

    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you also talk about the choice to make the Predator the protagonist of this movie and show his home planet for the first time?

    DT: It was incredibly challenging. The language, obviously had to be developed whole cloth, both written and spoken. His face, which was deliciously designed by Stan Winston with James Cameron‘s input to include the mandibles back in the 80s, is so cool for being a frightening and intimidating creature. But not at all conducive to having a wide range of emotion like we needed in the film. So, it was a great challenge to have to translate what Demetrius was performing into a face that has no nose, no lips, and teeth that don’t even let the mouth close. There was a temptation to cover his face up more and have him wear the mask. But I really didn’t want to soften our attempt at saying, “It’s a monster and you’re going to care.” So, we faced the challenge head on.

    MF: Can you also talk about the challenges of creating the Predator’s language for this movie?

    DT: We worked with a language expert, Britton Watkins, who’s both a language expert and sci-fi fan and really developed an entire grammar structure and dictionary, all based off of the physiology of the Yautja from ‘Predator’. So, it all comes from the way that we assume the throat works and the mandibles and all of that. It was an entirely custom-made language for the movie that Demetrius and Elle had to learn. I had a script that I could look at, but I really paid more attention to rhythm and emotion, and that things felt authentic rather than needing to know the pronunciations.

    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about casting Elle Fanning as both Thia and Tessa, and her specific and separate performances?

    DT: That was the exciting thing. We’ve seen a lot of twin portrayals in movies throughout the years and characters doing dual roles, but being the funny sidekick, as well as the villain, typically requires two different actors. What Elle did is tremendous, and I got a lot of inspiration in watching ‘The Great’, where she was funny and there was an innocence to her character when it starts, then she must get really intense and that’s what clicked a nerve for me in casting her.

    MF: Finally, have you started thinking about ideas for another installment yet? If so, would it be another original story, or would it include returning characters from ‘Prey’ or ‘Badlands’?

    DT: I’m really developing both. I’m in this moment now where I was after ‘Prey’, where I was just trying to get excited about a path to take. I came up with a bunch of different paths and in that case, making both at the same time with ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ and ‘Badlands’. So, now we are figuring out what the next step of some of the characters are. We’re also figuring out and have been quite stoked about some other ways into the franchise that we haven’t seen before So, all things are being developed.

    ‘Predator: Badlands’ will be available February 12th on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD February 17th.

    Dan Trachtenberg on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo by Nicola Dove. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dan Trachtenberg on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo by Nicola Dove. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    What is the plot of ‘Predator: Badlands’?

    Cast out from his clan, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Predator: Badlands’?

    • Elle Fanning as Thia and Tessa
    • Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek and as the voice of Njohrr
    • Reuben de Jong as Njohrr
    • Michael Homik as Kwei
    • Stefan Grube as the voice of Kwei
    • Rohinal Narayan as Bud
    • Cameron Brown as Smyth
    • Alison Wright as the voice of MU/TH/UR
    'Predator: Badlands' will be available 2/12 on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD 2/17.
    ‘Predator: Badlands’ will be available 2/12 on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD 2/17.

    List of Movies in the ‘Predator’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘Predator’ Movies on Amazon

  • Jennifer Lawrence to Appear in ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    (L to R): Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in 'The Hunger Games.' Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R): Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in ‘The Hunger Games.’ Photo: Lionsgate.

    Preview:

    • Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will appear in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.’
    • Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak are playing the lead roles.
    • Francis Lawrence is again directing the movie.

    Here’s some big news for ‘Hunger Games’ fans starving for any update on the next prequel movie, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ directed once more by regular filmmaker Francis Lawrence.

    Variety reports that Jennifer Lawrence (no, no relation) and Josh Hutcherson, who were two of the key roles in the original movies, will be back to reprise their iconic characters.

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    Lawrence will be Katniss Everdeen and Hutcherson will return as Peeta Mellark. “But Moviefone,” we hear you ask, “the new movie takes place years before their films. How will this work?”

    Simple: Suzanne Collins’ book includes an epilogue set during Katniss and Peeta’s time where they appear with Haymitch (which suggests Woody Harrelson, who plays the older Haymitch, will also make an appearance, although his voice does appear in the teaser trailer.)

    Related Article: Ralph Fiennes, Maya Hawke and More on for Latest ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
    Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of original films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

    Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’s Everdeen and Hutcherson’s Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Harrelson.

    Who else has been cast in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    (L to R) Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy and McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
    (L to R) Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy and McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    The cast already includes included Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak, who will play Haymitch Abernathy and the woman he loves, Lenore Dove Baird.

    In addition to the two leads, we also now know that McKenna Grace, who has appeared in the recent ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, will be in the movie as Maysilee Donner, Haymitch’s fellow District 12 Tribute, while Jesse Plemons has the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, as brought to life by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies.

    Ralph Fiennes is the calculating President Snow while Kieran Culkin will be Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.)

    Elle Fanning is on to be a younger Effie Trinket; the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies.

    Glenn Close is Sickle, the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes, and Billy Porter is playing Magno Stift is her estranged husband and the Tributes’ uninspired designer.

    When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?

    Lionsgate will have the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.

    (L to R) Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
    (L to R) Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Other Movies in ‘The Hunger Games’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘The Hunger Games’ Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Predator: Badlands’ Has Franchise-Best Box Office Opening

    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Preview:

    • ‘Predator: Badlands’ has started in impressive fashion at the box office.
    • It has earned more than $80 million globally.
    • Other movies didn’t fare as well.

    Looks like audiences were more than ready to get back on the hunt.

    ‘Predator: Badlands,’ the newest movie featuring the titular alien creatures, soared to the top of the box office this past weekend, earning a healthy $40 million at the box office.

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    The movie, which was budgeted at $105 million (not counting advertising costs), is the most successful launch for the ‘Predator’ franchise, overtaking the previous record holder, 2004’s franchise crossover ‘Alien vs. Predator.’

    It’s the latest success in the series for co-writer/director Dan Trachtenberg, who previously made the likes of ‘Prey’ and the animated ‘Predator: Killer of Killers,’ both of which were well received but were released via Hulu.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Predator: Badlands’

    How did ‘Predator: Badlands’ do elsewhere?

    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The new ‘Predator’ outing was just as successful outside the States, earning another $40 million for an $80 million global opening. That’s a great start, and points to it reaching profitability.

    Here’s Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian on the movie’s success:

    “ ‘Predator: Badlands’ shows how unpredictable and dynamic the marketplace can be. All it takes is one over-performance to get the industry back on track. This is a great lead in for what promises to be one of the better months of November for the industry.”

    What else happened at the box office this weekend?

    (L to R) Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in 'Die My Love'. Photo: Kimberley French/Mubi.
    (L to R) Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in ‘Die My Love’. Photo: Kimberley French/Mubi.

    Unfortunately for the box office prospects, ‘Badlands’ was one of the few movies to make much of an impact this week, the rest of the new arrivals limited to less wide releases and awards contenders.

    Faith-based entry ‘Sarah’s Oil’ fared best, opening in fourth place with $4.5 million. ‘Nuremberg’, a drama about the historic post-World War II trials, did solid business, landing fifth with $4.1 million, though given its higher-profile and starry cast (Russell Crowe and Rami Malek among them) it likely hoped for more.

    Still, stars really couldn’t save Lynne Ramsay’s latest, psychodrama ‘Die My Love.’ Despite Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles, the story of post-partum depression and dysfunction tanked with audiences, earning $2.8 million for eighth.

    And that’s still better than the Sydney Sweeney-starring boxing biopic ‘Christy’, which couldn’t even crack the top 10, stumbling to 11th with $1.3 million. It’s the latest flop opening for the actor and could well lead to chatter that her rising star status is under serious threat (at least for now).

    Sydney Sweeney in 'Christy'. Photo: Black Bear Pictures.
    Sydney Sweeney in ‘Christy’. Photo: Black Bear Pictures.

    List of Movies in the ‘Predator’ Franchise:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Predator: Badlands’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Predator’ Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Sentimental Value’

    (L to R) Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    (L to R) Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    Opening in theaters November 7 is ‘Sentimental Value,’ directed by Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Anders Danielsen Lie, Cory Michael Smith, Catherine Cohen, and Elle Fanning.

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    Related Article:  ‘A Different Man’ Tackles Issues of Identity with Compassion and Humor

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    (L to R) Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    Easily one of the best films of the year, ‘Sentimental Value’ is Joachim Trier’s follow-up to 2021’s ‘The Worst Person in the World,’ a character study disguised as a bittersweet rom-com. ‘Sentimental Value’ is also bittersweet, but it’s no romantic comedy: instead, it dissects the complicated relationship between a narcissistic but aging filmmaker and his two daughters in the wake of their mother’s death.

    ‘Sentimental Value’ gets at some universal truths about all families, parents, and children, and presents each of its four main characters in nuanced shades, letting us see them at their best and not so finest. While the film might be too casually paced and narratively loose for some, this is ultimately a rich, engrossing, deeply moving tale of what happens when family becomes fodder for art, and everything that spins out of that.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    (L to R) Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) is a once highly-regarded filmmaker whose best years are behind him and who hasn’t been able to get a film financed for 15 years. He returns to his family home in Oslo, Norway for the funeral of his ex-wife, where he attempts to reconnect with his two daughters, actor Nora (Renate Reinsve) and her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) who has a more stable job as a historian and a husband and child.

    But Gustav is also after more than just re-establishing the tattered relationship he has with the two daughters he left behind: he has written a new film – apparently an incredible script – and wants Nora to star in it. However, she wants nothing to do with the film or her father. Thanks to a fortuitous meeting, he instead enlists a young American star named Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning). With Rachel attached, Netflix comes calling – but something about the entire project feels off.

    Renate Reinsve in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    Renate Reinsve in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    Through a string of beautifully composed scenes, Joachim Trier (working from a script he co-wrote with Eskil Vogt) slowly peels back the layers of each of these characters, revealing the multi-dimensional people at the heart of a very intimate story about how the compulsion to create art can be both healing and disruptive. We find out that Gustav’s script is about his mother, who survived Nazi atrocities only to take her own life in the very home in which he wants to film – a personal expression of anguish he’s held all these years. But the screenplay is also about his daughters, and as we find out more about them, we learn that this family has been shattered in multiple ways.

    All this is eloquently and elegantly shot in gorgeous Oslo, with the Borg house at the center of the story both a place of stability and a ghost from the past. With warmth, some sly humor (mostly poking fun at the movie business), and a story that lays bare some raw emotions while not providing easy solutions, ‘Sentimental Value’ is an engrossing drama that makes one want to spend more time with the Borg family.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Christian Belgaux.
    (L to R) Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Christian Belgaux.

    All four leads in this film are impeccable, starting with the great Renate Reinsve and the global treasure that is Stellan Skarsgård. Coming off ‘The Worst Person in the World’ and last year’s ‘A Different Man,’ Reinsve once again displays her ability to make the work of acting literally invisible, while fully inhabiting the character she portrays. Nora is complicated and troubled – she is an exceptional actress but has extreme anxiety attacks before going onstage – and unable to get everything in her life lined up, but also possessed of charm, wit, and an underlying darkness that is hinted at but perceptible.

    As for Skarsgård, this may be the Swedish veteran’s masterpiece: Gustav is also charming, talented, and witty, but possessed of a high self-regard, a condescension toward others, and an almost childish temper. A scene in which he visits his one-time cinematographer, only to realize that the man might be too old to work anymore, is acting perfection: just with the subtle expression on his face, Skarsgård shows us both Gustav’s disappointment and fear – he’s seeing his own potential future. And underneath his still-cocky surface lies a deep grief – which he is unable to express without a camera. This is brilliant, Oscar-worthy stuff all the way.

    Credit also to Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as the practical sister from whom Nora is somewhat estranged as well, but who still has a deep love for both sibling and parent, and Elle Fanning (having a heck of a fall with this and ‘Predator: Badlands’), whose Rachel Kemp exhibits depth and sensitivity that, in a lesser film, would be replaced by a simple Hollywood brat.

    Final Thoughts

    Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    Joachim Trier keeps mining everyday human relationships for maximum complexity while presenting his stories with an easygoing clarity that’s hard to not enjoy. ‘Sentimental Value’ continues that tradition, and while it’s ironically not sentimental at all, it’s still deeply moving in its understanding of how grief and sadness can be both fodder for great art and fuel for slow self-destruction.

    ‘Sentimental Value’ receives a score of 95 out of 100.

    'Sentimental Value' opens in theaters on November 7th.
    ‘Sentimental Value’ opens in theaters on November 7th.

    What is the plot of ‘Sentimental Value’?

    The fractured relationship between an acclaimed director and his two estranged daughters becomes even more complicated when he decides to make a personal film about their family history.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Sentimental Value’?

    • Stellan Skarsgård as Gustav Borg
    • Renate Reinsve as Nora Borg
    • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as Agnes Borg Pettersen
    • Elle Fanning as Rachel Kemp
    • Anders Danielsen Lie as Jakob
    • Cory Michael Smith as Sam
    • Catherine Cohen as Nicky
    • Andreas Stoltenberg Granerud as Even
    Stellan Skarsgård in 'Sentimental Value'. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
    Stellan Skarsgård in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.

    List of Stellan Skarsgard Movies and TV Shows

    Buy Tickets: ‘Sentimental Value’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Stellan Skarsgård Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Predator: Badlands’

    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    In theaters on November 7 from 20th Century Studios is ‘Predator: Badlands’, the latest take on the franchise by director Dan Trachtenberg (‘Prey’).

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    The new movie stars Elle Fanning (‘Super 8’) and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (‘The Panthers’).

    Related Article: Every ‘Predator’ Movie Ever Made Ranked Including ‘Predator: Badlands’

    Initial Thoughts

    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Thia (Elle Fanning) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Director Dan Trachtenberg, who began his journey with the ‘Predator’ franchise via period thriller ‘Prey,’ truly has evolved into the keeper of the flame for the Yautja (the alien race known for its desire to hunt).

    With ‘Predator: Badlands,’ he offers yet another intriguing twist on the ‘Predator’ mythos, eschewing the usual human-vs-Yautja combat for a young Predator on his first hunt, seeking to prove himself on a lethally dangerous planet.

    Script and Direction

    Dan Trachtenberg on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo by Nicola Dove. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dan Trachtenberg on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo by Nicola Dove. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Patrick Aison, who also wrote ‘Prey,’ returns here for another fun script that this time is focused almost entirely on a double-act between the central Predator, known as Dek, and Elle Fanning’s Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic (yes, this is Aison and Trachtenberg mixing in the ‘Alien’ mythology to far better effect than any of the ‘Alien vs. Predator’ movies.

    The plot of the movie itself might not hold many surprises, but it’s inventive enough, and features a solid buddy comedy with Thia and Dek –– and yes, this is surprisingly more comedic than you might expect.

    And Trachtenberg has once more delivered a visual feast, with smart use of locations mixed with soundstage work to bring the story to life.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi has the heavier load to carry, emoting through layers of CG-assisted Predator prosthetics, but he manages the task, bringing Dek to life with spirit.

    And Fanning is, if anything, even more entertaining, making Thia a sparky, clever character you enjoy spending time with.

    Final Thoughts

    A scene from 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    A scene from 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Predator: Badlands’ doesn’t rise to the level of the original ‘Predator’ or even ‘Prey,’ but it’s a superbly entertaining throwback to movies of the 1980s and 1990s, driven by a propulsive plot and some fantastic effects.

    It’s also great to see Trachtenberg’s ‘Predator’ skills unleashed on the big screen, unlike his previous two outings.

    ‘Predator: Badlands’ receives 85 out of 100.

    (L to R) Kwei (Mike Homik) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Kwei (Mike Homik) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    What’s the story of ‘Predator: Badlands’?

    The newest entry in the ‘Predator’ franchise is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Predator: Badlands’?

    • Elle Fanning as Thia
    • Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek and Njohur
    • Mike Homik as Kwei
    'Predator: Badlands' opens in theaters on November 7th.
    ‘Predator: Badlands’ opens in theaters on November 7th.

    List of Movies in the ‘Predator’ Franchise:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Predator: Badlands’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Predator’ Movies on Amazon

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  • Every ‘Predator’ Movie Ever Made Ranked!

    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The ‘Predator‘ franchise is still going strong almost 40 years later.

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    Beginning in 1987 with the groundbreaking first film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the franchise has gone on to feature such talented actors as Danny Glover, Adrien Brody and Olivia Munn fighting the alien warriors.

    After teaming with the ‘Alien‘ franchise for two movies, director Dan Trachtenberg brought the franchise back to popularity with the Emmy winning ‘Prey‘, which debuted on Hulu.

    Now Trachtenberg is back with a new installment of the franchise called ‘Predator: Badlands‘, which stars Elle Fanning and will be release in theaters on November 7th.

    In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Predator’ movie ever made, including the ‘AVP‘ movies, animated films and ‘Badlands’.

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: Every ‘Alien’ Movie, Ranked!

    9. ‘Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem‘ (2007)

    2007's 'Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'.
    2007’s ‘Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    After a horrifying PredAlien crash-lands near a small Colorado town, killing everyone it encounters and producing countless Alien offspring, a lone Predator arrives to “clean up” the infestation.

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    8. ‘The Predator‘ (2018)

    2018's 'The Predator.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    2018’s ‘The Predator.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist (Olivia Munn) can prevent the end of the human race.

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    7. ‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator‘ (2004)

    2004's 'AVP: Alien vs. Predator'.
    2004’s ‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.

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    6. ‘Predator 2‘ (1990)

    Danny Glover in 'Predator 2'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    Danny Glover in ‘Predator 2’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    A police chief (Danny Glover) in the war-torn streets of Los Angeles discovers that an extraterrestrial creature is hunting down residents – and that he is the next target.

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    5. ‘Predator: Killer of Killers‘ (2025)

    A scene still from 20th Century Studios' Predator: Killer of Killers.' Photo: 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Killer of Killers.’ Photo: 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    While three of the fiercest warriors in human history—a Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a WWII pilot—are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent: the ultimate killer of killers.

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    4. ‘Predators‘ (2010)

    (L to R) Adrien Brody and Laurence Fishburne in 'Predators'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    (L to R) Adrien Brody and Laurence Fishburne in ‘Predators’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    A group of cold-blooded killers find themselves trapped on an alien planet to be hunted by extraterrestrial Predators.

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    3. ‘Predator: Badlands‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

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    2. ‘Prey‘ (2022)

    Amber Midthunder as Naru in 20th Century Studios' 'Prey,' exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Amber Midthunder as Naru in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Prey,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    When danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.

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    1. ‘Predator‘ (1987)

    Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'Predator'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Predator’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    A team of elite commandos on a secret mission in a Central American jungle come to find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

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  • San Diego Comic-Con 2025: ‘Predator: Badlands’

    (L to R) Alec Gillis, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning and director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    (L to R) Alec Gillis, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning and director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    Preview:

    • ‘Predator: Badlands’ showed off new footage at Comic-Con.
    • Director Dan Trachtenberg and star Elle Fanning were on the panel.
    • Fresh information was revealed.

    ‘Prey’ director Dan Trachtenberg has become something of a ‘Predator’ specialist, having also made animated adventure ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’.

    He’s back with a second outing this year, ‘Predator: Badlands’, which naturally took the opportunity to bring some footage and guests to Comic-Con to make sure audiences are primed.

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    ‘Badlands’, which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is live-action entry, and promises plenty of action.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’

    What’s the story of ‘Predator: Badlands’?

    (L to R) Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios' 'Predator: Badlands' film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    In the future on a remote planet, a young Predator, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in artificial being Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

    What happened at the ‘Predator: Badlands’ panel?

    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg, Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Alec Gillis at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg, Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Alec Gillis at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    Predator masks were handed out to the crowd at the start of the panel, which came in handy since a Predator took the stage to menace the assembled audience.

    Filmmaker Kevin Smith moderated the panel, and admitted up front that ‘Badlands’ was his favorite ‘Predator’ movie so far.

    Smith introduced Trachtenberg, who admitted how excited he was to be promoting a movie at Comic-Con after years attending as a fan:

    “You could imagine bringing a movie to Hall H would be a dream for me. It’s something I’m really proud of, and I’m so happy to share it with all of you.”

    The Predator carrying Fanning’s character (or half of her) on his back was inspired by Chewbacca carrying C-3PO in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’.

    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    Here’s what Fanning had to say about taking the role:

    “Reading the script, what really drew me in was the heart and emotions… there’s no humans. I’m a synthetic android, he’s a Predator. But there’s so much humanity in these characters.”

    Trachtenberg was also thinking about emotions- particularly having the Predator face be uncovered a lot more this time, so as to display both the digital work and performance.

    The panel closed out with the first 15 minutes of ‘Badlands’ shown to the crowd, which cheered the Predator-y goodness.

    In related ‘Predator’ news, ‘Killer of Killers’ will be updated on Hulu with an additional post-credits scene featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s Dutch and Danny Glover‘s Mike Harrigan.

    When will ‘Predator: Badlands’ be in theaters?

    This latest ‘Predator’ outing stalks into cinemas on November 7th.

    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg, Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Alec Gillis at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for 'Predator: Badlands'. Photo: Disney.
    (L to R) Director Dan Trachtenberg, Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Alec Gillis at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.

    List of Movies in the ‘Predator’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘Predator’ Movies on Amazon

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  • San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Preview: Can’t Miss Panels

    2025 San Diego Comic-Con runs July 24th-July 27th. Photo: Comic-Con International.
    2025 San Diego Comic-Con runs July 24th-July 27th. Photo: Comic-Con International.

    Preview: 

    • San Diego Comic-Con 2025 is taking place at the San Diego Convention Center from July 24th through July 27th.
    • Neither Marvel nor DC will have studio panels, but there are still plenty of other great film and TV projects being highlighted.
    • Notable panels include ‘Predator: Badlands’, ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, ‘The Long Walk’, and more.
    • Legendary filmmaker George Lucas will also be making an appearance on Sunday.

    San Diego Comic-Con 2025 is right around the corner, and with Marvel and DC opting to skip out on studio panels this year, it might seem like there is no reason to attend. That, however, could not be further from the truth, as there are still many incredible projects being showcased this year.

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    Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are packed to the brim with can’t miss panels, including ‘Predator: Badlands‘, ‘Peacemaker‘ Season 2, ‘The Toxic Avenger‘, and ‘Star Trek’. On Sunday, legendary filmmaker George Lucas will make an appearance at the famed Hall H, alongside Guillermo del Toro, to offer a sneak peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

    Related Article: Why Marvel Skipping Hall H At SDCC 2025 Actually Makes Perfect Sense

    Thursday, July 24th

    ‘The Toxic Avenger’ 

    Peter Dinklage as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, 'The Toxic Avenger', a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
    Peter Dinklage as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.

    ‘The Toxic Avenger’ reimagining is taking over Hall H on Thursday July 24th from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. San Diego Comic-Con attendees will get an exclusive first look at the film, but that is not all. Writer and director Macon Blair, Lloyd Kaufman, and cast including Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, and Taylour Paige wil be on hand to discuss behind-the-scenes stories. The panel features a live Q&A, and exclusive footage from the upcoming film.

    Synopsis: When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze, is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident, he’s transformed into a new kind of hero: The Toxic Avenger. Now, Toxie must rise from outcast to savior, taking on ruthless corporate overlords and corrupt forces who threaten his son, his friends, and his community. In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive.

    Friday, July 25th

    ‘The Long Walk’ 

    Mark Hamill at The Major in 'The Long Walk'.
    Mark Hamill at The Major in ‘The Long Walk’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Master storyteller Stephen King’s first novel finally hits the big screen in ‘The Long Walk‘, from visionary director Francis Lawrence (‘The Hunger Games’ franchise films) and adapted by screenwriter JT Mollner (‘Strange Darling‘). Cast and filmmakers will participate in this Hall H panel from 3:00pm to 4:00pm on Friday, July 25th for an in-depth Q&A session and first look at the intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: How far could you go?

    Synopsis: Every year, fifty teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as “The Long Walk.” Among this year’s chosen crop is sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty. He knows the rules: that warnings are issued if you fall under speed, stumble, sit down. That after three warnings… you get your ticket. And what happens then serves as a chilling reminder that there can be only one winner in the Walk. The one that survives.

    ‘Predator: Badlands’ 

    Elle Fanning at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Disney.
    Elle Fanning from ‘Predator: Badlands’ at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.

    Director Dan Trachtenberg (‘Prey‘) joins stars Elle Fanning (‘A Complete Unknown‘) and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (‘Upright’) immediately following the panel for ‘The Long Walk’ in Hall H for an exclusive look at ‘Predator: Badlands’, the latest chapter in the legendary franchise. Hear firsthand stories from the set, insights into the film’s new setting and characters, and get a sneak peek at never-before-seen footage.

    Synopsis: The film is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

    ‘TRON: Ares’ 

    'Tron: Ares.' Photo by Leah Gallo. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    ‘Tron: Ares.’ Photo by Leah Gallo. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    After learning all about ‘Predator: Badlands’, stay in your Hall H seats and step into the Grid as director Joachim Rønning (‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil‘) and the cast of ‘TRON: Ares‘ take the stage to discuss the highly anticipated next installment in the Tron saga. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, get character insights, and have an exclusive first look at footage from the film.

    Synopsis: A highly sophisticated Program called Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

    Saturday, July 26th

    ‘Project Hail Mary’ 

    Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in 'Project Hail Mary'.
    Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

    Phil Lord (director and producer), Christopher Miller (director and producer), Ryan Gosling (actor and producer), Drew Goddard (screenwriter and executive producer), and Andy Weir (author and producer) give an exclusive first look at the most anticipated sci-fi thriller movie event of 2026 in Hall H on Saturday, July 26th from 2:15pm to 3:15pm.

    Synopsis: Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, ‘Project Hail Mary‘ follows a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship, lightyears from home, with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: to solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction . . . but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

    Peacmaker Season 2 

    (L to R) John Cena and Danielle Brooks in 'Peacemaker' season 2. Photo: Jessica Miglio/Max.
    (L to R) John Cena and Danielle Brooks in ‘Peacemaker’ season 2. Photo: Jessica Miglio/Max.

    The HBO Max series ‘Peacemaker’, from DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television, returns for a highly anticipated second season on August 21. Fans that attend the SDCC 2025 panel, which immediately follows the ‘Project Hail Mary’ panel, will be treated to exclusive sneak peek footage from the new season and a conversation with James Gunn (co-head of DC Studios, executive producer, writer, director) and actors John Cena (Peacemaker, executive producer), Danielle Brooks (Adebayo), Jennifer Holland (Harcourt), Freddie Stroma (Vigilante), Steve Agee (Economos), Frank Grillo (Rick Flag Sr.), Sol Rodriguez (Sasha Bordeaux), and Tim Meadows (Langston Fleury).

    Synopsis: The continuing story of Peacemaker – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it – in the aftermath of the events of ‘The Suicide Squad‘.

    Sunday, July 27th

    Lucas Museum of Narrative Art 

    The perfect way to close out San Diego Comic-Con 2025 is to attend the final Hall H panel at 11:00am on Sunday, July 27th. Legendary filmmaker George Lucas, Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro, and Academy Award-winning artist Doug Chiang explore the power of illustrated storytelling and offer a sneak peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, moderated by Grammy, Emmy, Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning artist, Queen Latifah.

    Oscar®-nominated writer/director/producer George Lucas during the 2012 Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, December 1. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Oscar®-nominated writer/director/producer George Lucas during the 2012 Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, December 1. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    List of Movies Directed by George Lucas:

    Buy George Lucas Movies on Amazon

    2JxyPaKz

  • Glenn Close and Billy Porter Join New ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    (Left) Glenn Close arrives at the 14th Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / @ A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Billy Porter arrives on the red carpet of The 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    (Left) Glenn Close arrives at the 14th Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / @ A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Billy Porter arrives on the red carpet of The 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Glenn Close and Billy Porter are the latest addition to the new ‘Hunger Games’ prequel.
    • Jhaleil Swaby is also aboard, playing the character of Panache.
    • Francis Lawrence is again directing the movie.

    While the cameras are now rolling on the new ‘Hunger Games’ franchise entry, prequel offering ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’, you might think that the stream of casting would dry up. You’d be mistaken!

    Two more big names and more of a rising star are the latest people to be announced, as Deadline reports that Glenn Close will be Drusilla Sickle, Billy Porter has the role of Magno Stift and Jhaleil Swaby (‘The Lake’) will play Panache.

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    Here’s ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ producer Nina Jacobson on Close’s casting:

    “Glenn Close is a dream Drusilla. She brings so much of her intellect and imagination to each role, creating characters who are unforgettable and iconic. I think Glenn and Francis will have a ball bringing Drusilla from the page to the screen.”

    And regarding Porter:

    “Billy is one of those rare performers who can dazzle and devastate in equal measure on stage and screen. He made an indelible impression on me when we worked together on Pose, both as an actor and a human being. Casting this show has felt like winning the lottery every time one of our idols said yes to us.”

    Related Article: Ralph Fiennes, Maya Hawke and More on for Latest ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.
    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.

    While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of Jennifer Lawrence films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

    Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Woody Harrelson.

    Who else has been cast in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    (Left) Joseph Zada to star as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo credit: Hugh Stewart. (Right) Whitney Peak to star as Lenore Dove Bard in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo: Kate Whyte.
    (Left) Joseph Zada to star as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo credit: Hugh Stewart. (Right) Whitney Peak to star as Lenore Dove Bard in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo: Kate Whyte.

    The cast also includes Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak, who will play Haymitch Abernathy and the woman he loves, Lenore Dove Baird.

    Ralph Fiennes is the latest actor to play the calculating Coriolanus Snow, who we meet as a younger man in previous prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,’ there played by Tom Blyth and was most famously portrayed by Donald Sutherland as President Snow in the original four movies.

    Maya Hawke, most recently seen in ‘Maestro’ and ‘The Kill Room’ and who provided the voice of Anxiety in ‘Inside Out 2,’ will be Wiress, former Hunger Games champion–turned–District 12 mentor.

    Lili Taylor, as Deadline has learned, will be Mags, another former champion who is now a mentor for one of the District 12 tributes. And Ben Wang, who broke out in Disney+ series ‘American Born Chinese’ and will be one of the leads of ‘Karate Kid: Legends,’ has landed the role of District 12 Tribute Wyatt Callow.

    In addition to the two leads, we also now know that McKenna Grace, who has appeared in the recent ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, will be in the movie as Maysilee Donner, Haymitch’s fellow District 12 Tribute, while Jesse Plemons has the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, as brought to life by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies.

    Kieran Culkin accepts the award for Male Supporting Actor - Motion Picture at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Kieran Culkin accepts the award for Male Supporting Actor – Motion Picture at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Finally, recent Academy Award winner Kieran Culkin is to play Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci).

    As for the new additions?

    Close’s Sickle is the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes, while Porter’s Stift is her estranged husband and the Tributes’ uninspired designer.

    Swaby’s Panache, meanwhile is a crude and aggressive career tribute from District 1, known for his arrogance and ruthlessness.

    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’: Collins and the filmmakers talk

    Director Francis Lawrence in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.' Photo Credit: Murray Close.
    Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Here’s Suzanne Collins’ statement on the new book and movie:

    “With ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few… The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day. From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”

    And here’s Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson:

    “Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know ‘Hunger Games’ fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”

    When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?

    Lionsgate will have the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.

    'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.

    Other Movies in ‘The Hunger Games’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘The Hunger Games’ Movies On Amazon

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  • Ralph Fiennes and More Join New ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

    (Left) Ralph Fiennes. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images. (Center) Maya Hawke. Photo: Trevor Tweeten. (Right) Lili Taylor. Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for The National Audubon Society.
    (Left) Ralph Fiennes. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images. (Center) Maya Hawke. Photo: Trevor Tweeten. (Right) Lili Taylor. Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for The National Audubon Society.

    Preview:

    • Ralph Fiennes will be President Snow in the new ‘Hunger Games’ prequel.
    • Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor and Kelvin Harrison Jr. are also joining the cast.
    • The movie is set 24 years before the main movies.

    Though we’ve been seeing a drip feed casting process for the new prequel to ‘The Hunger Games’ –– that would be ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ in case it had somehow slipped your mind –– that turned into something of a torrent this week with a slew of new announcements.

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    Deadline brought the biggest news: Ralph Fiennes, who has a little bit of form playing the Big Bad in a book-based movie franchise, will become the latest actor to play the calculating Coriolanus Snow, who we meet as a younger man in previous prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,’ there played by Tom Blyth and was most famously portrayed by Donald Sutherland as President Snow in the original four movies based on Suzanne Collins’ novel trilogy.

    This is what producer Nina Jacobson of Color Force had to say about the new casting:

    “We wanted to honor Donald Sutherland by having one of this generation’s greatest actors play President Snow 24 years before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena. Working with Ralph has been on my bucket list since he traumatized me for life in ‘Schindler’s List.’ It’s genuinely a thrill to welcome him to the Hunger Games.”

    Ben Wang in Columbia Pictures 'Karate Kid: Legends'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    Ben Wang in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    And that’s not all! Maya Hawke, most recently seen in ‘Maestro’ and ‘The Kill Room’ and who provided the voice of Anxiety in ‘Inside Out 2,’ will be Wiress, former Hunger Games champion–turned–District 12 mentor.

    Also on new additions list? Lili Taylor, who Deadline has learned will be Mags, another former champion who is now a mentor for one of the District 12 tributes. And Ben Wang, who broke out in Disney+ series ‘American Born Chinese’ and will be one of the leads of ‘Karate Kid: Legends,’ has landed the role of District 12 Tribute Wyatt Callow.

    Last, and by no means least among the newcomers (in franchise terms) is Kelvin Harrison, Jr., last seen in ‘O’Dessa,’ who Jeff Sneider reports will be Beetee Latier, champion of the 34th Hunger Games and father of Ampert Latier, who is a Tribute in the new movie. Fun fact: Jeffrey Wright played Beetee in three of the original movies.

    Franchise veteran Francis Lawrence is directing once again from a script by Billy Ray, and the cameras are now rolling.

    Related Article: New ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Finds Leads in Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak

    What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.
    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.

    While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of Jennifer Lawrence films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

    Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Woody Harrelson.

    Who else has been cast in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

    (Left) Joseph Zada to star as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo credit: Hugh Stewart. (Right) Whitney Peak to star as Lenore Dove Bard in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo: Kate Whyte.
    (Left) Joseph Zada to star as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo credit: Hugh Stewart. (Right) Whitney Peak to star as Lenore Dove Bard in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo: Kate Whyte.

    These new arrivals bolster a cast that already included Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak, who will play Haymitch Abernathy and the woman he loves, Lenore Dove Baird.

    In addition to the two leads, we also now know that McKenna Grace, who has appeared in the recent ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, will be in the movie as Maysilee Donner, Haymitch’s fellow District 12 Tribute, while Jesse Plemons has the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, as brought to life by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies.

    Kieran Culkin accepts the award for Male Supporting Actor - Motion Picture at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Kieran Culkin accepts the award for Male Supporting Actor – Motion Picture at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Fiennes’ casting resolves one rumor –– there has still been chatter about recent Academy Award winner Kieran Culkin mulling an offer to play Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.) Nothing official has been announced about that yet, so we can only assume a deal is still being worked on if at all.

    Elle Fanning has also been linked with the role of a younger Effie Trinket; the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies. But that has yet to be confirmed.

    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’: Collins and the filmmakers talk

    Director Francis Lawrence in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.' Photo Credit: Murray Close.
    Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Here’s Suzanne Collins’ statement on the new book and movie:

    “With ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few… The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day. From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”

    And here’s Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson:

    “Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know ‘Hunger Games’ fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”

    When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?

    Lionsgate wants the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.

    'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
    ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.

    Other Movies in ‘The Hunger Games’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘The Hunger Games’ Movies On Amazon

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