Dan Trachtenberg Says Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Up For Possible Return to Predator

Predator is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most well-known films, and Dan Trachtenberg says the actor is open to a potential return as Dutch. Schwarzenegger starred in the 1987 action-horror film as Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer but has not reprised his role since the original. The potential for a return was opened up in the new animated anthology film Predator: Killer of Killers, which featured an ending in which is was revealed that Dutch, Mike Harrigan (played by Danny Glover in Predator 2) and Naru (played by Amber Midthunder in Prey) were seen in suspended animation.

That opens up possibilities for these characters to return, and Trachtenberg spoke about the chances of Schwarzenegger reprising his role in an interview with Collider to promote Predator: Badlands.

“I met Arnold,” Trachtenberg said. “You’d think I’d get ‘I’ll be back!’ Yelled at me more, but it’s actually ‘Get to the Chopper!’ So he’s well aware of the franchise’s staying power.”

Trachtenberg added of Schwarzenegger, “He was excited to talk about what else we could do. Because there’s so much more story to tell now — you could tell how [Dutch and Naru] were captured, or what happens when they de-ice. Many possibilities.”

After a couple of failed attempts to relaunch the franchise with 2010’s Predators and 2018’s The Predator, Trachtenberg kickstarted it back into action with Prey in 2022 and Killer of Killers in June. Predator: Badlands releases on November 7th.