Predator: Badlands just hit theaters, and already the film is a hit, enjoying the biggest opening weekend in the franchise's history. Who knew there was so much potential in making a Yautja the hero of the story for a change?
If Badlands leaves you wanting more of Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi's character Dek, Marvel has you covered. Last week, we brought you an exclusive preview of Predator: Badlands #1, a one-shot prequel to the film focused squarely on Dek. Now we can follow up that preview with an interview with writer Ethan Sacks (Star Wars: Bounty Hunters). Read on to learn more about how director Dan Trachtenberg helped guide the comic and how working in the Predator universe compares to Star Wars.
With Badlands being Trachtenberg's third Predator film so far (and the second one released in 2025), it goes without saying that he's a busy guy. But that doesn't mean the director took a hands-off approach to this comic book tie-in. Sacks reveals that Trachtenberg was closely involved in consulting on the story and helping ensure that the comic and the movie weave together effectively.
I actually met Dan almost a decade ago, before I was in comics, when I interviewed him about 10 Cloverfield Lane for the New York Daily News. Even back then, I could tell that I was seeing an exceptional talent that could blend sci-fi, horror, and intimate dramatic moments," Sacks tells IGN. "What I didn't know is that Dan is a huge comic fan, and a Marvel fan in particular. He and the producers carved out time from their busy production schedules on Predator: Badlands to hold video meetings with me to explain the characters and their plans for the Yautja. The level of cooperation and collaboration made all the difference in the world. His passion and level of detail is infectious, and I like to think we channeled it in this comic."
Sacks continues, "Our story directly ties into Dek's journey in the film, and I approached it in a similar way to how I approached Old Man Hawkeye, the prequel to Old Man Logan. I wanted the story to feel like a unique and interesting puzzle piece that could slide right in and connect seamlessly with the beloved original."
As for the plot of Predator: Badlands #1, the comic takes place shortly before the events of the film and adds insight into Dek's family dynamic. The story represented an interesting challenge for Sacks. What does a Predator comic look like when the Predator himself is the main protagonist?
"Without spoiling anything from the amazing film, having a Yautja protagonist that an audience can care about is the direct result of what Dan and screenwriter Patrick Aison achieved with Predator: Badlands," Sacks says. "Our goal with the prequel was to set up Dek’s backstory and his relationship with his family/clan that pays off so well on screen. It's the next step in the evolution of our understanding of this species, their culture, and their motivations. We also got to show how tenacious and resourceful Dek can be. There's a new alien species in this prequel as well, along with an interesting antagonist, and as with Star Wars: Bounty Hunters, I get a bit of a cruel glee in trying to break readers' hearts while ratcheting up their adrenaline."
Trachtenberg may be a verfied Predator super-fan, but Sacks is no slouch, either. He tells IGN that writing this prequel is basically a dream come true for someone who still vividly remembers watching the original film in theaters.
I've been a huge fan of this franchise since I watched my first Yautja uncloak on a movie screen in the summer of 1987," Sacks says. "In those days before CGI domination, the original Predator hit on a killer combination of perfect Arnold action vehicle, high concept, and inventive special effects for the Predator's heat-detecting vision. I was 14 years old back then, and in some ways I will always feel like a wide-eyed teenager when a new Predator installment comes out."
Sacks has been a major voice on Marvel's Star Wars comic line in recent years. We were curious how the two franchises compare. Is writing a Predator comic so different from writing Star Wars?
"Those two amazing sci-fi franchises are lightyears apart (pun-intended) in terms of tone and themes, but the commonality between them is that the franchises are run by people that legitimately are as geeky as I am and as passionate as the fans," Sacks says. "Both also share the same value of comic storytelling that fits directly into the larger narrative. The comics provide the opportunity for me to contribute to the mythos that I have loved since childhood."
Finally, Sacks had plenty of priase for artist Elvin Ching and the rest of the book's art team, saying "Elvin Ching is a future superstar in the making. I get similar vibes working with him as I did with Marco Checchetto back on Old Man Hawkeye. We had a lot of help from Dan and the filmmakers and 20th Century Studios for reference and concept art so that Elvin could make our story feel visually connected to the film. Along with inker Oren Junior, colorist Juancho Velez, and letterer Clayton Cowles, the art team really shined on this one. It rings and zings cinematic in the best of ways. Hopefully, readers will go see the movie and then pick up their copy to get even more story."
Predator: Badlands #1 is in stores now. You can pick up a copy at your local comic shop.
Clint gage gave the movie an 8 in IGN's Predator: Badlands review, writing, "Dan Trachtenberg is heading in an interesting direction with this franchise and he gets bonus points for that. The Predator as a mysterious murder monster is getting some of his backstory filled in, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Badlands, in shifting the perspective to a Yautja main character, actually highlights what’s been great about this franchise in its better moments. Dek and Thia are an unexpectedly fun pairing that bring a new energy to the franchise and an altogether different kind of hunt. It might not be pulling the skull and spine out of us and screaming in bloody victory, but it gets close."
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