New Predator Variant Is Intimidating & Beastly In Stunning Art

Predator fan art introduces a beastly new variant of the iconic alien that gives the Yautja a new way to hunt. Released in 1987, the first Predator movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch, a commando team leader who faces off against a terrifying alien in the jungle. The film was a hit and there have now been five movies in the mainline franchise, with Prey (2022) being the most recent release. The Predator, technically called a Yautja, is next set to return in the upcoming Predator: Badlands, a film that will take the franchise into the future.

As the wait continues for Predator: Badlands, AilluminatedArt on Instagram shares a new batch of AI-generated images, imagining the Yautja warrior riding a Predator-like beast. The four images included with the post all include slight alterations to the beast and its rider, with the last making the new variant truly massive with gaping jaws. Check out the fan art below:

What A New Predator Variant Would Mean For The Franchise

Will Badlands Feature A New Variant?

Though the technology the Predators are equipped with varies from movie-to-movie, the aliens themselves have remained fairly consistent overall in the mainline franchise. The most notable outliers include the Super Predator from Predators (2010), and the Predator dogs and the Ultimate Predator from 2018's The Predator. There's also Alien vs. Predator: Requiem's Predalien, a Yautja crossed with a Xenomorph, but that movie and its predecessor exist separately from the franchise proper.

It's not yet clear exactly what the Predator will look like in the upcoming movie, as the first Predator: Badlands image only reveals the back of the creature's head, but Prey could provide an indication of what's to come. The 2022 film features a Predator that was familiar in design, but with different weaponry and a lack of armor. As this new film takes place in the future, the new Predator will likely feature more advanced armor and weaponry, and this could be a great way to push the franchise forward once more.

Our Take On The New Predator Variant

When It Would Make Sense To Introduce Rideable Predator Beasts

With Predator dogs having been featured in the 2018 movie, it's certainly possible that some kind of larger, rideable variant will eventually be introduced in the future. Given director Dan Trachtenberg's sensibilities with the acclaimed Prey, though, it doesn't seem likely it will be introduced in Predator: Badlands, which he also directs.

Introducing such a creature would make a lot of sense if the franchise ever chooses to more fully explore Yautja Prime, the Predator's home world, as there are likely plenty of formidable beasts there. For now, it seems like fan art is the closest audiences will get to seeing a rideable Predator variant.

Source: @ai.art96

Predator

Created by

Jim Thomas, John Thomas

First Film

Predator

Cast

Carl Weathers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Peter Hall, Peter Cullen, Derek Mears, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins, Françoise Yip, Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers

Video Game(s)

Predator: Hunting Grounds, Predator: Concrete Jungle

Movie(s)

Predator, Predator 2, Predators, Predator, Prey

Predator is an action sci-fi franchise created by Jim and John Thomas, beginning with the original film released in 1987. The franchise follows a warrior alien race known as the Yautja who travel the far reaches of space looking for worthy prey to hunt, constantly bringing them to Earth due to the sheer amount of conflict harbored on it. The series has spun off into comic books and animated features and has even enjoyed several crossover events via film and video games with the Aliens franchise.

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