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Dan Trachtenberg’s first “Predator” film, “Prey,” was centered on Naru (Amber Midthunder)<\/a>, an 18th century Comanche girl who wanted to prove herself as a hunter and warrior. Trachtenberg’s next picture, the upcoming “Predator: Badlands,” also features an underdog protagonist underestimated by their peers. This time the underdog is a Predator themselves \u2014 specifically, young Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi).<\/p>\n Dek has come to the planet of Genna (a name that resembles “Gehenna,” an ancient term for Hell) to hunt an unkillable prey and prove himself. This is a break from previous “Predator” films, since the 1987 original, which have largely depicted the Predators as villains hunting human prey.<\/p>\n In a new interview with Empire magazine<\/a>, Trachtenberg revealed one seed for his idea to turn a Predator into a hero: the original teaser for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which opened on sand dunes before John Boyega’s Finn burst into frame in Stormtrooper armor. The shot revealed that one of the heroes of this new trilogy was going to be a Stormtrooper, previously depicted as disposable grunts for heroes to blast away.<\/p>\n “I think about that moment a lot,” Trachtenberg said. “The possibilities of what it meant bloomed out in your mind. That moment is absolutely part of my interest in pursuing unique protagonists.”<\/p>\n Now, many (Boyega included) feel the “Star Wars” sequels<\/a> didn’t live up to that potential in the end. Boyega has said<\/a>\u00a0that Finn’s arc should have culminated with him inspiring a rebellion of the indoctrinated Stormtroopers, which was part of Colin Trevorrow’s scrapped script for the sequel trilogy conclusion, “Duel of the Fates.”<\/a><\/p>\n Trachtenberg has proven himself a reliable director, though, so hopefully “Badlands” can make the most of its Predator as a hero premise.<\/p>\n