The latest entry in the Predator franchise, Predator: Badlands, has finally hit the big screen. Now that the film is out, director Dan Trachtenberg has been able to share some of the behind the scenes details he had to keep secret during the film’s production, including a helping hand that none other than James Cameron provided.

Predator: Badlands takes the normal perspective of the series and flips it on its head. This time, a young Yautja eager to prove himself to his father embarks on a journey to a dangerous planet, hoping to hunt down a lethal foe to do so. But he’s not the top hunter on this planet, and has to form unusual alliances in hopes of getting the chance at a fair hunt. 

Trachtenberg was essentially given the keys to the Predator franchise after he struck gold with Prey. Releasing directly to Hulu, Prey became an instant hit for the service, simultaneously winning over Predator fans and critics alike. From Prey, Trachtenberg hopped into the animated anthology film Predator: Killer Of Killers earlier this year, then released Badlands just last weekend. 

MovieWeb noted, however, that Trachtenberg got a special surge of encouragement from one of the highest regarded creative minds of a similar series. It was none other than James Cameron, director of Aliens, who showed full support for what Trachtenberg wanted to do on Badlands. 

After Cameron had seen and very much liked Prey, the two directors spent some time together on the set of Cameron’s Avatar: Fire And Ash, not too far from where Badlands was in production. The two discussed the story that was going to be told in Badlands, taking time to emphasize to the Hollywood Reporter that it was both new for him as well as new for the series. 

“Then we drove separately to dinner, and when he came in and sat down, he said, ‘I was just thinking about what you’re doing, and I think it’s going to work.’ So all that wind in my sails carried me back up to Auckland to tell my crew,” he said. 

He even recounted that upon seeing a rough cut, Cameron said that he was unsure just how well they could make it work, but was very happy with what was on display.

Predator: Badlands is now playing in theaters.