What timeline is Predator: Badlands Set In Chronologically? + It's an Alien V Predator crossover in the Alien universe...

Predator Badlands appears to be the set up for an Alien v Predator crossover film set in the Alien film franchise universe. 

While the film stars a Predator, the clues, iconography, and dialogue presented so far strongly suggest that Badlands is not just a standalone installment, but a critical crossover event set deep within the established timeline of the Alien universe.

Based on the evidence, we can piece together when the film is set and unravel how it appears to be a stealth Alien film as the trailer screams ''Xeno'' about as hard as you can without actually showing a Xeno...

The Timeline Clue: It's All in the Name

The single most important piece of evidence for placing Badlands in the timeline comes from a logo glimpsed in the initial footage: Weyland-Yutani.

In the pod where the synthetic, is being "rebooted," the branding for the infamous "Company" is clearly visible, specifically identifying the "Bio-Weapons Division."

This is not the "Weyland Corporation" of Prometheus (set in 2093), but the merged entity that becomes the corporate antagonist for the rest of the Alien franchise.

According to established Alien canon timeline, the merger between the British Weyland Corp and the Japanese cybernetics firm Yutani Corporation occurs in the year 2099

This immediately places Predator: Badlands after the events of both Prometheus (2093) and Alien: Covenant (2104) (which if you did not know are set before the original Alien),

Furthermore, observations from fans point towards technology that feels more advanced than the gritty, "lo-fi sci-fi" aesthetic of the original Alien (2122). The presence of advanced synthetics and sleek technology like a turbolifter has led many to speculate that the film is set even later, closer to the more militarized "Sulaco era" of James Cameron's Aliens (2179). This would place the film in the late 22nd century, a period where Weyland-Yutani's nefarious activities are well-established.2

The Apex Predator: A Classic Misdirection?

The teaser includes a chilling line of dialogue: "The definitive apex Predator."

In a film titled Predator, the obvious assumption is that this refers to the Yautja hunter. However, in the context of the shared universe, this phrase is almost certainly a calculated misdirection. For Weyland-Yutani, the true prize, the ultimate organism, the perfect survivor, has always been the Xenomorph.

The Company's obsession with acquiring and weaponizing the Xenomorph is the driving force behind the entire Alien saga, codified by Special Order 937 in the first film: "Priority one: insure return of organism for analysis. All other considerations secondary. Crew expendable."

The fact that Badlands features Weyland-Yutani's Bio-Weapons Division active on a dangerous planet is a monumental clue. It implies the company is aware of valuable, and hostile, alien life. This brings us to a key question: at what point does the company know about the Xenomorph?

• Post-2122 (Alien): They know of its existence and its lethality after the loss of the Nostromo.

• Post-2179 (Aliens): They are acutely aware of its ability to overrun an entire colony after losing Hadley's Hope on LV-426.

By this era, Weyland-Yutani would indeed consider the Xenomorph the "definitive apex Predator" and would be desperate to control it, viewing the Yautja hunters as a potential obstacle or even a rival collector. The giant, non-Yautja creature shown in the trailer could be a red herring, or perhaps one of the "other organisms" referenced in the lore of the upcoming Alien: Earth TV series, further cementing the idea of a populated, dangerous galaxy.

A Shared Universe Taking Shape: The Road to a New AVP?

This move seems to be part of a larger, coordinated strategy by 20th Century Studios. The upcoming Noah Hawley-produced Alien: Earth series is also set to heavily feature Weyland-Yutani, focus on the role of synthetics, and introduce new alien species beyond the Xenomorph.

The parallel themes are impossible to ignore. Both Badlands and Alien: Earth are pushing the lore forward, centering on the machinations of Weyland-Yutani and the androids they create. This shared focus suggests a deliberate effort to build a more cohesive and interconnected universe.

This leads to the ultimate speculation: Is this the foundation for an Alien vs. Predator reboot?

By firmly planting a Predator story within the prime Alien timeline and focusing on the very corporation obsessed with alien life, the stage is set. We have a future timeline where Weyland-Yutani knows about dangerous species, a Predator is on a hunt, and the looming shadow of the Xenomorph hangs over everything. The pieces are all in play for a canonical convergence of the two iconic creatures, orchestrated by the universe's most ruthless corporation.3

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