Predator Spinoff Badlands Looks to Add Elle Fanning to Cast

Elle Fanning is in talks to join the cast of Badlands, the next installment in the stories Predator sci-fi/horror franchise. While it will be directed by Prey helmer Dan Trachtenberg, the upcoming film isn’t a direct sequel to that (or any other) installment in the series. Some early reports claim that the movie will be set in the future, moving it as far away from the centuries-back-in-time setting of Prey as possible. Few details are known yet, although that movie has long been said to have a woman in a leading role. It seems likely that’s what Fanning is poised to step into. According to reports earlier this year, Badlands is just one of many Predator projects in various stages of development, with Trachtenberg taking on a creative leadership role for the franchise’s future.

Badlands was written by Trachtenberg with Patrick Aison, and development is so far along that there are reports that production could start as soon as next month. Fanning’s previous genre cred is for projects like the Maleficent movies and Super 8.

Deadline, who first reported Fanning’s talks, have no clues on what the plot might be, either. With Prey, everything about the production was kept close to the vest, except for the general setting, until the first trailer dropped. In other words, don’t expect too many scoops coming out between now and when the movie wraps principal photography.

Fanning can next be seen in the final season of The Great, her Hulu series, as well as A Complete Unknown, the Timothee Chalamet biopic of folk singer Bob Dylan.

There have been seven Predator films since the franchise launched in 1987, but nobody has ever come back for seconds, with the monsters themselves being decidedly the stars of the franchise rather than the human heroes. Rumor has it Amber Midthunder might return to reprise her role from Prey, suggesting that while the franchise expands out and away from that film, Disney and 20th Century Studios also see the value in it.

Prey scored six Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Television Movie, and earned a win for Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special. The film was also a massive success on Hulu, so it’s no surprise to hear more films are on the way. Currently, it’s unclear if Badlands or the other potential projects will be streaming releases or go to theaters.