Director Dan Trachtenberg shares his journey with the hit movie Predator: Badlands, from its early days when he feared it would end his career to its success and critical acclaim. The film’s homages to Alien and Predator, multiple alternate endings, and pre-visualization footage are just a few of the exciting topics Trachtenberg discusses in an interview.
The director reveals that two people at a test screening of the movie thought it was awful, but he knew otherwise. “I’m dead,” he joked about the conversation. Thankfully, the final product surprised audiences with its positive reaction, and the film has become a hit.
Trachtenberg talks about how he intentionally made certain aspects of the movie stand out, such as Dek’s shoulder gun and the Power Loader fight scene. The director praises James Cameron for his contributions to the design, but also notes that they needed to make their own unique interpretation. He explains how some ideas, like the cloaking device, were inspired by other films and cultural references.
The director shares insights into the movie’s ending, including a change made from an earlier version with more violence and another version where Bud is born as an adult creature. Trachtenberg also discusses pre-visualization footage and deleted scenes that showcase some of the early concept art and experiments.
Ultimately, Trachtenberg says he was relieved to see his vision come to life on screen, despite initial fears about its reception. With Predator: Badlands now streaming and available for Blu-ray release, fans can finally experience the exciting world of Dek and Thia on their own devices.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/the-director-of-predator-badlands-goes-deep-on-the-ending-callbacks-deleted-scenes-and-more-2000720387