Film

Badlands Director Dan Trachtenberg Secures Paramount Deal

6 February 2026

The director behind Predator: Badlands and the filmmaker who helped reshape the franchise, Dan Trachtenberg, just scored a major deal with Paramount.

Trachtenberg has entered into a three-year first-look agreement with the studio. Under the deal, he will direct, produce, and develop projects for Paramount Pictures alongside his longtime colleague, Ben Rosenblatt. This isn’t the first time that the director has worked with Paramount. In 2016, Trachtenberg launched his career with the hit film 10 Cloverfield Lane, which was distributed by the company.

Trachtenberg expressed his excitement to collaborate with Paramount in a statement. He revealed that as a kid, he loved the films that the studio created and was always excited to see what followed the logo. He said that he is incredibly happy that he has the opportunity to be a part of the production company’s legacy. The director called the deal “a dream come true.” He added that he is looking forward to working with the Paramount team.

As a kid I remember seeing the Paramount logo and dreaming of the epic adventure that would follow. Now to have the opportunity to bring new huge and emotional stories to giant screens is a literally a dream come true. Ben and I cannot wait to join Dana, Josh, Don, and the entire Paramount team in pursuing our shared vision of making Paramount once again the apex of cinema.

Paramount’s co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg praised Trachtenberg and said in a joint statement that they were looking forward to collaborating with him. They described him as bold, creative, ambitious, and a creator who has a clear vision. The pair added that his work resonates with a large audience, which is invaluable.

Dan has an extraordinary ability to deliver films that are both daring and deeply entertaining. He has a rare instinct for tension, scale, and storytelling that connects with audiences worldwide. We’re excited to welcome him to the studio.

This deal comes after Trachtenberg’s massive success with Predator: Badlands. The film premiered in November 2025 and set a new box office record for the Predator universe, a franchise that spans over three decades. Grossing $184.5 million worldwide, it surpassed 2004’s Alien vs. Predator, which earned $177.4 million.

The hit movie followed the release of his animated feature Predator: Killer of Killers on Hulu. Trachtenberg first made his mark on the franchise with 2022’s Prey. It was considered a breath of fresh air by many fans. The film earned him two Emmy nominations for directing and writing.

Predator: Badlands will be available to stream on February 12, 2026.