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

Fans of the Alien and Predator franchises have a thrilling year ahead in 2025. The excitement begins with two new Predator films directed by Dan Trachtenberg: the live-action Predator: Badlands and the animated Hulu series Predator: Killer of Killers. Additionally, Noah Hawley, the acclaimed showrunner behind Fargo and Legion, is bringing us a major addition to the Alien universe with the FX show Alien: Earth. While these projects are not officially connected yet, the shared history of Alien and Predator as part of a crossover universe has fans buzzing about potential future collaborations. The iconic monsters have crossed paths in numerous films, comic books, and video games, hinting at a rich tapestry that could lead to an exciting new crossover.

Analyzing the latest promotional materials for Predator: Badlands and Alien: Earth suggests that Disney might be setting the stage for a new Alien vs. Predator (AVP) crossover. Let's dive into the developments in these franchises and explore why an AVP return to the big screen might be closer than we think.

The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands has already sparked speculation among fans about a potential new Alien vs. Predator film. It features Elle Fanning as a Weyland-Yutani synthetic character with a connection to a new Predator named Dek, confirmed as the film's protagonist by Trachtenberg. Although a Weyland-Yutani android in a Predator film isn't a direct setup for an Alien crossover, the inclusion of such a character takes on new significance when paired with the promotional videos for Alien: Earth.

The Gestation Complete teaser for Alien: Earth is packed with Easter eggs that tie into Alien lore. It showcases the black liquid mutagen from Prometheus, which is used by the Engineers to seed life on Earth. The teaser also reveals an egg sac similar to one seen in Alien: Romulus, from which a mutated creature resembling a facehugger emerges. This creature is found on a ship called the Maginot, reminiscent of the Nostromo from the original Alien film, and is labeled as "Species 37" with unknown DNA by the ship's computer, MU-TH-UR. Set two years before the events of the original Alien, this suggests that Species 37 could be the key that initially alerted Weyland-Yutani to the Xenomorphs.

Alien and Predator’s Long, Intertwined History

Alien and Predator have shared a universe since long before their first cinematic crossover in 2004 with Alien vs. Predator. The two iconic monsters first clashed in a 1989 Dark Horse comic series, followed by a famous Easter egg in Predator 2 (1990) featuring a Xenomorph skull on the Predator's trophy wall. Throughout the '90s, numerous AVP comics and video games further established their shared universe, well before the concept became mainstream with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, the AVP films released in the 2000s, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and The Brothers Strause, didn't capture the same critical and audience acclaim as the standalone Alien and Predator films, despite their box office success. While serialized superhero and sci-fi blockbusters were gaining traction, the AVP series was treated as a B-tier property by 20th Century Fox. Iconic films like Ridley Scott's original Alien, James Cameron's Aliens, and John McTiernan's Predator set a high bar that the AVP films didn't reach. The 2010s saw further struggles with the Prometheus series and Shane Black's The Predator, but recent successes like Prey in 2022 and Alien: Romulus in 2024 have revitalized the franchises.

With the teases of upcoming projects, the idea of a new AVP feels more imminent than ever.

Moreover, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development, with director Fede Álvarez returning 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 continuity with the Prometheus series. Characters Rain Carradine and Andy are in stasis heading to Yvaga III, setting the stage for a sequel. With Predator: Badlands also set in space, there's potential for cameos or Easter eggs hinting at a connection to Alien: Romulus.

Álvarez has suggested that the best way to do an AVP film would be to surprise audiences by revealing the crossover mid-movie. He told Collider, "The best AVP will be the one that you don’t know is AVP until the other guy shows up. You think you’re watching a Predator movie, and then they land in some place and there are creatures, and fucking hell, it’s a Xenomorph. That would get me. … Or vice versa, you’re in an Alien movie, and then suddenly a mysterious creature is there, and you can hear that sound, and you see the cloak, and you go, ‘Is that a fucking Predator?’"

The Alien Movies' Long History of Recycling Rejected Ideas

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Álvarez's enthusiasm for an AVP project offers hope that a new take on the crossover could surpass the previous attempts. The earlier AVP films, set on contemporary Earth, were limited in scope and struggled with two-dimensional characters, leading to fan rejection. A new AVP could start fresh, potentially featuring Dek from Predator: Badlands as the lead and exploring the Predalien concept further. Perhaps an Engineer mutagen could create a hybrid being of Alien, Predator, and Engineer, adding a terrifying new dimension to the saga.

With both Alien and Predator franchises now in a healthier state than they've been in years, the idea of a crossover film is likely on Disney's radar. Given the popularity of cinematic universes and cross-medium integration, a new AVP feels more like a matter of when, not if. With talented filmmakers like Álvarez and Trachtenberg involved, these iconic monsters might finally get the epic big screen battle they deserve.