Synthetics have been a key part of the Alien franchise since the property’s inception in 1979. With each installment, filmmakers have tried to put a fresh spin on the concept. Ash was an antagonistic presence in the original Alien, acting out of the best interests of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Bishop helped Ripley, Newt, and Hicks escape LV-426 in Aliens. David 8, one of the synthetics Michael Fassbender played in Ridley Scott’s prequel films, was a compelling figure in his quest to understand life. The latest Alien film, last summer’s Alien: Romulus, featured its own standout android in the form of Andy, played by David Jonsson. His performance was so captivating, he’s inspiring others in the Alien/Predator shared universe.
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Speaking with Empire, Predator: Badlands star Elle Fanning, who plays the Weyland-Yutani synthetic Thia, praised Jonsson’s turn in Romulus. “We went to see Alien: Romulus while we were shooting. [Jonsson] is such a great actor,” she said. “That was informative for me, to see him step outside of other synths and create his own version. It gave me confidence to create my own thing, too.”
Elle Fanning’s Predator: Badlands Character Can Help the Franchise Evolve
When 1979 audiences met Ash in Alien, a synthetic crew member on a spaceship felt like an idea centuries away. While androids as portrayed in the Alien movies still aren’t a reality, there have been considerable leaps in robotics in the decades since the original film’s release. There are companies that specialize in developing humanoid robots, and the advancement of AI has become a prevalent part of our day-to-day lives. In many ways, characters like Andy and Thia are even more relevant now, as they provide filmmakers with opportunities to explore concepts and questions pertinent to today’s society, using the knowledge accumulated over the years to inform the films’ synthetics.
We’ve seen the Alien franchise expand what’s possible with synthetics on the TV series Alien: Earth, which has brought to light a mechanical arms race that ensued in-universe. There aren’t just synthetics, but also cyborgs (humans with robotic enhancements) and hybrids (where a human’s consciousness is transferred into a synthetic). This is all part of the franchise’s penchant for exploring intriguing ideas that tie into human existence and evolution. Predator: Badlands is a Predator movie first and foremost, but it will be interesting to see how Weyland-Yutani factors into the story. Director Dan Trachtenberg has made clear he wanted to avoid “smashing the action figures together” when incorporating Alien connections into the film. He must have something significant planned for Weyland-Yutani, coming up with an organic reason for the company’s involvement in the narrative. Even if it doesn’t directly tie into Alien: Earth, it could flesh out Weyland-Yutani’s ultimate goals further.
Beyond the real-world ties to evolving technology, Fanning drawing from Jonsson should be a boon for Predator: Badlands. While Alien: Romulus was somewhat polarizing (see: the digital revival of the late Ian Holm), Jonsson’s performance was seen by many as a highlight, differentiating from the portrayal of synthetics in previous films. This kind of reinvention is vital for long-running franchises like the Alien/Predator universe, as things risk becoming stale if the films just repeat themselves. Jonsson has only seen his star grow further after his acclaimed turn in The Long Walk, so even someone as talented as Fanning is trying to learn what she can from him.
The presence of Weyland-Yutani in Predator: Badlands is an exciting development because it potentially establishes a foundation for more crossovers down the line, including a new Alien vs. Predator movie. Hopefully, the film is successful and re-establishes the Predator brand as a theatrical draw. If it achieves its goals, it’s likely Fanning’s portrayal of Thia (and any other synthetics that share her resemblance) is a main reason why. She could end up becoming the next great on-screen synthetic.
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