Predator: Badlands - Synth Tools & Weapons

In 2024, director Dan Trachtenberg invited us to collaborate on the latest chapter in the Predator franchise, ‘Predator: Badlands’.
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In parallel with the development of the Yautja weapons, we were also tasked with exploring weapons and tools for the Weyland-Yutani synths. Early on, the director proposed that, since the synths were part of a scientific expedition rather than a military operation, they might repurpose industrial or construction tools as improvised weapons. This led us to explore a range of utilitarian devices that could plausibly double as deadly instruments.
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The primary weapon brief centred around a modular pistol - a “sonic” weapon capable of emitting varying frequencies and wave lengths to either immobilize or kill its target. Alongside this, we explored a broad range of concepts: some incorporated legacy Weyland-Yutani design language, while others experimented with entirely new materials, silhouettes, and functional forms.
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Artists: Thomas Oates, Vaughan Flanagan
Art Director: Vaughan Flanagan
Production: Brooklyn Dineen