MOVIE NEWS – The upcoming Predator movie, Badlands, will be set in the future and could be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s perfect opportunity to return to the franchise.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has spent over four decades as one of Hollywood’s most prolific franchise actors. But the just-announced Predator movie might be the best replacement for the megastar. Maybe it’s time to hang up the Terminator metal smile? While he returned to the latter franchise several times with disappointing results, the Predator series is preparing for new parts. This could potentially create the perfect opportunity for Schwarzenegger to return to the series, which he hasn’t been to in nearly 40 years.

Disney has announced that the Predator franchise is returning with two new films, with Prey director Dan Trachtenberg actively working on both.

This includes the upcoming Prey 2 as well as Badlands, which is set in the future. While there is no indication yet that Badlands will bring back any of the cast from the previous films, this may be the best way for Arnold Schwarzenegger to return to the series he helped found. Reimagining the Predator series could even be the ideal franchise move for Schwarzenegger instead of returning to the Terminator franchise.

Arnold Schwarzenegger may finally return to Predator with a new film

Confirmation that the next movie in the Predator franchise, Badlands, is set in the future could easily allow Schwarzenegger’s Dutch to return to the big screen. While “future” is a broad enough term to cover all sorts of possible locations, setting it in the near future would allow characters from modern times to appear as the main characters.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is still in his element nearly four decades after the release of Predator, so it’s theoretically possible that his character, Dutch, could survive as well.

In the original Predator, Schwarzenegger played Alan “Dutch” Schaefer. He was sent on a military rescue mission to South America, but the titular alien hunter lures his team into a trap. In the end, Dutch was the sole survivor of the soldiers, who draws the Predator into combat and defeats the hunter in a hand-to-hand fight before escaping from an explosion caused by the defeated alien. Later, Predator films focused on separate characters or different periods. Dutch’s fate was never revealed. Badlands could remedy this by having Schwarzenegger return to fight the aliens or even just as a seasoned expert on the Predators.

Could Predator replace The Terminator as Schwarzenegger’s leading action franchise?

Schwarzenegger has never been shy about returning to past franchises. Over the years, he has appeared in the Terminator sequels several times. Schwarzenegger played many different versions of the time-traveling robot. But they all had the same general appearance and abilities. Overall, Schwarzenegger only missed one film in the series, Terminator Salvation.

Schwarzenegger has confirmed that he will not be returning to Terminator and future films, leaving the door open for Schwarzenegger to shift his focus to other franchises such as Predator.

Dutch’s experience in fighting and defeating the Predator makes him an ideal figure to lead the fight against the aliens. It’s possible that the returning Dutch in Badlands could play a Nick Fury-esque role in the Predator franchise. Just another rematch between Dutch and the Predators would be fun for the fans. This would be the best franchise for Schwarzenegger to return to, especially after the diminishing returns of the Terminator series.

While the Terminator movies for decades revolved around Schwarzenegger’s iconic performance (even to the detriment of films like Terminator Genisys), Predator has evolved into a much more flexible franchise.

The Predator movies have been the focus of action movies like Alien vs. Predator or the more horror-sounding The Predator. The 2022 blockbuster Prey proved that the concept works in different eras. If Schwarzenegger were to return to the series, it could create more connective tissue for the franchise’s history. But the franchise’s flexibility would allow it to avoid the mistakes of later Terminator movies by not feeling repetitive.

Beyond the central concept of a Predator hunting humans, Predator movies can be more adventurous in terms of story. This was never the case with the Terminator movies. They have always been rooted in the war between man and machine. Badlands could present Schwarzenegger (and the audience) with new and exciting challenges. Putting him in new circumstances instead of just playing another Terminator. Much like how Prey reimagined the prequels with a completely different perspective and location. Badlands could also embrace the series’ sci-fi elements or return to its horror roots. The prospect of Schwarzenegger returning to Predator with Badlands is exciting for fans of the performer. Everyone wants to see him challenge him in ways the Terminator never could.

Source: Daily Mail, Portail Free