Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. The excitement is palpable with two new Predator films on the horizon, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, known for Prey. The first, the live-action Predator: Badlands, and the second, the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers, promise thrilling adventures. Additionally, the Alien universe is expanding with Noah Hawley, the acclaimed showrunner of Fargo and Legion, bringing us the FX series Alien: Earth. While these projects are not officially linked, the shared history of Alien and Predator in a connected universe, seen across films, comics, and video games, fuels fan speculation about potential crossovers.

Analyzing the promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth suggests that Disney might be laying the groundwork for a new Alien vs. Predator (AVP) crossover. Let's delve into the recent developments in these iconic franchises and explore the reasons why an AVP return could be imminent.

The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands has sparked discussions about a possible new AVP film. It introduces Elle Fanning as a Weyland-Yutani synthetic connected to a new Predator named Dek, who is the protagonist. While a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film isn't a definitive crossover signal, it gains significance alongside new promotional content for Alien: Earth.

The Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth is filled with Easter eggs tied to the Alien lore. It features the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, used by the Engineers to seed life on Earth, leading to an egg sac resembling one seen in Alien: Romulus. The creature emerging from it, though similar to a facehugger, appears mutated. This specimen is contained on a ship reminiscent of the Nostromo, named the Maginot, and designated as "Species 37" with unknown DNA by the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR. Given the show's setting two years before the events of Alien, this suggests that Species 37 might be the initial clue that leads Weyland-Yutani to the Xenomorphs.

Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History

The Alien and Predator franchises have been part of a shared universe for decades. Their first encounter was in the 1989 Dark Horse comic series Aliens vs. Predator, followed by a Xenomorph skull Easter egg in Predator 2 in 1990. Numerous comics and video games in the '90s further established this shared universe, well before the Marvel Cinematic Universe popularized the concept.

Despite the early introduction of the AVP concept, the two films released in the 2000s, Alien vs. Predator in 2004 and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem in 2007, did not resonate well with audiences or critics, despite their box office success. The AVP series was treated as a secondary property by 20th Century Fox, despite the strong legacy of individual films like Ridley Scott's Alien, James Cameron's Aliens, and John McTiernan's Predator. The 2010s saw further challenges with the Prometheus series and Shane Black's The Predator. However, the success of Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 has revitalized both franchises.

With the latest teasers from upcoming projects, the prospect of a new AVP film feels more tangible than ever.

It's worth noting that a sequel to Alien: Romulus is currently in development, with director Fede Álvarez returning and expressing interest in directing an AVP film. Alien: Romulus was a significant success, both critically and commercially, revitalizing the franchise. Álvarez has suggested that the best approach to an AVP film would be to surprise audiences by revealing the crossover mid-movie.

The Alien Movies' Long History of Recycling Rejected Ideas

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Álvarez's enthusiasm for an AVP project offers hope for a fresh take that could surpass the previous attempts. The earlier AVP films were limited by their Earth-bound settings and struggled with character development. A new film could disregard these past entries and start anew, possibly featuring Dek as the protagonist if he survives Predator: Badlands. Additionally, exploring the Predalien concept or introducing a hybrid creature combining Alien, Predator, and Engineer DNA could be thrilling.

With both the Alien and Predator franchises in robust health, the idea of a crossover film seems more likely than ever. Given the current trend of cinematic universes and cross-medium storytelling, a new AVP film feels inevitable. With talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg involved, fans are hopeful that these iconic monsters will finally get the epic confrontation they deserve on the big screen.