Is Another AVP Movie on the Horizon with Alien and Predator's Rise?

Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have much to anticipate in 2025. The year promises two new Predator films from the acclaimed director of Prey, Dan Trachtenberg: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers. Additionally, fans can look forward to a significant new entry in the Alien universe with the FX show Alien: Earth, helmed by the talented showrunner of Fargo and Legion, Noah Hawley. While these projects are not yet officially linked, the long history of Alien and Predator sharing a universe, through films, comics, and video games, keeps fans hopeful for potential crossovers.

A closer examination of the promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth hints that Disney might be setting the stage for a new Alien vs. Predator (AVP) crossover. Let's delve into the developments within these franchises and explore the reasons why we might see AVP return to the big screen sooner rather than later.

Evil Easter Eggs ----------------

The initial teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands sparked speculation among fans about a potential new Alien vs. Predator film. It revealed that Elle Fanning will portray a Weyland-Yutani synthetic with a connection to a new Predator named Dek, confirmed as the film's protagonist by Trachtenberg. Although the inclusion of a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film isn't a definitive sign of an Alien crossover, it becomes more intriguing with new promotional videos for Alien: Earth.

In the Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth, multiple Easter eggs tie into the Alien lore. Viewers see the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, which leads to an egg sac similar to one in Alien: Romulus. The creature emerging from it, while resembling a facehugger, is uniquely mutated. This specimen is found aboard the Maginot, a ship reminiscent of the Nostromo from the original Alien film. Identified as "Species 37" by the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR, and marked with unknown DNA, this suggests it may have been the initial clue for Weyland-Yutani about the Xenomorphs, predating the events on LV-426 by two years in the Alien timeline.

A related teaser called Crate showcases specimen containers, with a narrator mentioning that the ship collected five distinct life forms from the universe. The presence of a classic Xenomorph hints at an expanded roster of alien creatures. This could potentially include species related to the Predators, aligning with Predator: Badlands' setting on an alien world where Dek hunts extraterrestrial monstrosities. It raises the possibility that Elle Fanning's android might be searching for these specimens, or that one of these creatures could mutate into a form we'll see in Badlands or Killer of Killers. While we await confirmation, the inclusion of Predator DNA in Alien: Earth wouldn't be surprising.

Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History

The shared universe of Alien and Predator dates back further than many might recall. Their first clash occurred in the 1989 Dark Horse comic series Aliens vs. Predator, followed by a Xenomorph skull Easter egg in Predator 2 in 1990. Throughout the '90s, numerous AVP comics and video games solidified their interconnected world, long before the concept was popularized by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, the AVP films in the 2000s, Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, didn't capture audiences as hoped, despite earning money at the box office. The era was dominated by serialized superhero and science-fiction blockbusters, but AVP was treated as a B-tier property by 20th Century Fox. This was despite the iconic status of Ridley Scott's original Alien, James Cameron's Aliens, and John McTiernan's original Predator. The 2010s further complicated matters with the commercial disappointment of Alien: Covenant and The Predator. Yet, the success of Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 has rejuvenated both franchises, setting the stage for a potential new AVP film.

Is it time for a new Alien vs. Predator movie? ----------------------------------------------

Yes.No.Let's discuss in the comments.Uh, whoever wins... we lose?

AnswerSee ResultsConverging for Carnage ----------------------

A sequel to Alien: Romulus is also in development, with director Fede Álvarez set to return and expressing interest in directing an Alien vs. Predator film. Alien: Romulus was a critical and commercial success for Disney, revitalizing the franchise while maintaining elements from the Prometheus series. The characters Rain Carradine and Andy, played by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, respectively, are currently in stasis en route to Yvaga III. Álvarez suggests that the best way to introduce a new AVP film would be to surprise audiences by revealing the crossover mid-story.

The Alien Movies' Long History of Recycling Rejected Ideas

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Álvarez's enthusiasm for AVP brings hope that a new take on the crossover could surpass previous efforts. The earlier films were set on contemporary Earth, which limited their scope and failed to engage audiences with underdeveloped characters. A fresh AVP film could disregard these previous entries and start anew. With Predator: Badlands featuring Dek as the lead, he could become the hero of a new AVP story. Additionally, a new crossover could explore the Predalien concept further, possibly involving Engineer mutagen to create a hybrid creature that's part Alien, part Predator, and part Engineer.

With the current healthy state of both the Alien and Predator franchises, a crossover film seems inevitable. Given the popularity of cinematic universes and cross-medium storytelling, a new AVP film feels more like a matter of when, not if. With talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg now involved, the iconic monsters of Alien and Predator might finally get the epic showdown they deserve on the big screen.