Arnold Schwarzenegger might be gracing movie screens again. Dan Trachtenberg, director of Predator: Badlands, revealed that he recently met with Schwarzenegger and floated the possibility of bringing him back into the Predator franchise—particularly his original character, the iconic Alan “Dutch” Schaefer. During the meeting, Trachtenberg confirmed that Schwarzenegger “was excited to talk about what else we could do. Because there’s so much more story to tell now.” While the deal is not officially confirmed, the idea is circulating.

This would be the first time Schwarzenegger personally reprised his role. His image already appears in the expanded Predator universe: an alternate epilogue to the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers includes the frozen bodies of Dutch and Prey’s protagonist Naru, hinting that both are held in stasis. Schwarzenegger has also voiced the character in the video game Predator: Hunting Grounds. According to Trachtenberg, this leaves open narrative possibilities, such as exploring how they were captured—or what happens when they’re taken out of the ice.

Trachtenberg is proceeding with the next installment in the franchise, Predator: Badlands, which releases in theaters on  November 7, 2025. This marks a shift in the franchise’s formula, as it tells its story from the Predator’s point of view, without any human characters. The film follows Dek, played by Dimitrius Schuster‑Koloamatangi, a young Yautja hunted by his own species, who forms an alliance with Thia, a Weyland‑Yutani android played by Elle Fanning. Trachtenberg confirmed there are no Xenomorphs in Badlands, distancing it from rumors about an Alien crossover, though he noted the film contains nods to the Weyland‑Yutani universe.

While Trachtenberg views Schwarzenegger’s return as a strong possibility, he highlighted that multiple narrative plots are in the works, rather than confirming a singular storyline. He also noted that additional Predator concepts beyond Badlands and Killer of Killers are in development. The director aims to expand the franchise’s mythos while remaining intentional about how legacy characters are integrated.