39 Years Ago, This Sci-Fi Movie Eventually Led To a Crossover That Combined Decades of Lore

The record-breaking success of Star Wars led to a wave of new sci-fi blockbusters in the late ’70s and ’80s. Studios were always keeping an eye out for new projects in an effort to capitalize on the genre’s popularity, and some of the most iconic franchises in Hollywood history were born out of this movement. Already reaping the benefits of Star Wars, 20th Century Fox green lit Alien, which proved successful enough to receive a sequel years later. After distributing the original Star Wars trilogy and two Alien films, they didn’t stop there. 20th Century Fox scored yet another major sci-fi title, one that would eventually become part of a massive franchise crossover.

On June 12, 1987, the original Predator was released in theaters. Directed by John McTiernan, the film hooked audiences with its entertaining high concept, pitting Arnold Schwarzenegger and a team of action heroes against a deadly alien hunting them for sport. Earning $59.7 million domestically during its run (unadjusted for inflation), Predator was one of the 10 highest-grossing films of the year, launching yet another new sci-fi franchise for Fox. It didn’t take long for the studio to get the idea to put two of them together.

Predator Crossed Over With Alien (But It Wasn’t Always Successful)

The first Predator was conceived as a standalone and works perfectly as a self-contained story, in large part because the filmmakers weren’t sure if it would be a hit. But after the movie became successful, there was no way Fox was going to let it remain a one-off. A few years later, Predator 2 came out, and it was here one of the biggest crossovers in sci-fi history debuted on screen. A xenomorph skull is seen in the trophy room, confirming that the Yautja had crossed paths with the deadly killers from the Alien movies. At the time, it was nothing more than a fun Easter egg, but it became the genesis of something much more.

It took more than a decade for that “something more” to come to fruition. In 2004, the first Alien vs. Predator film was released. For a pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe Hollywood, this was a major event, bringing together two of the most iconic sci-fi creatures in history. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out as well as fans would have hoped. While Alien vs. Predator was moderately successful at the box office (earning $177.4 million against a $60-70 million production budget), it was widely panned with a 21% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film struggled to maximize the full potential of its unique concept, as it was primarily let down by an underwhelming story populated by thin characters. When you consider Alien and Predator have featured fan favorites like Ripley and Dutch, it was a letdown to see the highly anticipated crossover couldn’t continue that legacy. The xenomorph and Yautja have always been the main draws, but audiences need a human reason to be invested as well.

Things didn’t improve much when Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem arrived in 2007. Like its predecessor, it scored negative reviews (12% on Rotten Tomatoes) — this time technical aspects received a bulk of the criticism in addition to weak storytelling. Requiem fared solidly enough at the box office ($130.3 million worldwide against a $40 million budget), but that wasn’t a strong enough performance to warrant another follow-up. At one point, there were plans for additional Alien vs. Predator movies, but those obviously didn’t come to fruition, and the franchises went their separate ways.

Over the course of the 2010s, both Alien and Predator continued to receive new installments, delivering mixed results. Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott’s two Alien prequels, were very polarizing, and plans for a third installment were eventually scrapped. Those films have been reappraised in the years since, with people expressing appreciation for their ambition and heady themes, but at the time of their original release, they didn’t make the biggest impact. Predator struggled as well, with both Predators and The Predator earning mixed-to-negative reviews. A case could have been made that both properties had run their course, but resurgences in this decade might have laid the groundwork for the next Alien vs. Predator.

What Is the Future of Alien and Predator Crossovers?

This decade, Predator has experienced a renaissance. It started with the release of the critically acclaimed Prey on Hulu, which returned the franchise to its roots by combining genre thrills with memorable characters. That allowed director Dan Trachtenberg to pursue other ideas, including last fall’s Predator: Badlands. Badlands was a notable franchise entry for a couple of reasons. Not only was it Predator‘s first new theatrical release in seven years, it subtly featured an Alien crossover; Elle Fanning’s dual characters Thia and Tessa are Weyland-Yutani synthetics.

Trachtenberg opted to take advantage of Alien and Predator‘s shared history with each other because he wanted to challenge himself by making a film with no human characters. This led him to creating Thia to serve as Dek’s co-star. Once fans realized Thia was built by Weyland-Yutani, speculation arose that Badlands might have been setting the stage for a new Alien vs. Predator film. Trachtenberg was quick to say that while that would be fun, his goal was to ensure Badlands worked as a self-contained movie on its own merits, and any connections to Alien would need to be organic to the story being told. That proved to be the right mentality, as Badlands earned positive reviews and broke franchise box office records.

Predator: Badlands‘ box office performance has some nuance to it, however. While it is the highest-grossing Predator movie, it brought in $184.6 million against a production budget of $105 million. It likely didn’t hit its break even point from box office earnings alone. Budgets do not account for marketing and distribution expenses. There were other revenue streams available to make up for that (streaming licenses, PVOD rentals/purchases), but the studio might have been hoping for Badlands to be a bigger draw, especially considering its PG-13 rating. The uneven nature of that performance could put future installments in doubt. It’s possible Disney and 20th Century Studios are taking time to figure out if another movie would be a worthwhile investment. Streaming, which is where Predator rediscovered its mojo, doesn’t seem to be a huge priority for the Mouse House moving forward, so theatrical is the best bet.

The film industry is a business, so if Disney is leery about greenlighting another Predator movie, it’d be somewhat understandable. That said, there are reasons why the franchise should continue. Trachtenberg has proven to be the strongest fit for the property, entertaining fans with three creative takes on the franchise so far. If he has another strong idea, he’s earned the right to make it a reality. There could also explore options to trim down the budget a bit, which will make it easier for a Badlands follow-up to turn a profit in theaters. Nothing’s been officially announced or scheduled at this point in time, but those hoping for more Predator shouldn’t give up their hopes. Viewers like where the franchise is going, Alien got back on track with Alien: Romulus, and those conversations with Arnold Schwarzenegger can’t amount to nothing.

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