When the trailer for Predator: Badlands dropped, one element specifically blew followers’ minds. It wasn’t the truth that the protagonist, this time, is the Predator (or ‘Yautja’) itself, an underdog by the title of Dek. It wasn’t the wall of skulls that demanded an instantaneous pause and zoom. Nor was it the large beastie seen pelting in the direction of our hero within the ultimate second. No, it was a quick shot of Elle Fanning’s character, seemingly held up in some sort of tree construction. For a cut up second, her eyes roll again, revealing a killer element: a brand for Weyland-Yutani, the evil company from the Alien franchise. Naturally, it received tongues wagging that an ‘Alien vs. Predator’ rematch could already be underway.

Actually, Fanning performs two characters in Badlands – one but to be revealed, and the opposite being Thia. Who, because the trailer reveals, is certainly a Weyland-Yutani android. In line with Trachtenberg, all of it got here from one particular thought. “I at all times needed no people on this film,” he explains, “so I assumed it may be enjoyable to have the Predator with a robotic.” The chance to make a connection to Alien was too good to move up. “Then I assumed, ‘I do know an organization that makes robots…’”

Collectively, Dek and Thia will make for a “enjoyable, mismatched pairing”, the director tells Empire. “One talkative, one laconic. As thrilling and violent as this film is, the character stuff actually pops, too.” Who’s Fanning’s different character? Will there be extra Weyland-Yutani shenanigans within the full movie? And will we even see Dek deck a Xenomorph? Place your bets now, folks.

Learn Empire’s full Predator: Badlands story within the Tron: Ares situation, on sale Thursday 3 July. Pre-order a replica on-line right here. Predator: Badlands involves UK cinemas from 7 November.