Remarkably, both the Alien and Predator franchises are in the midst of a pretty exciting resurgence thanks to major blockbusters like 2024's Alien: Romulus and 2025's Predator: Badlands, as well as streaming projects like 2025's Alien: Earth series and Predator: Killer of Killers. Combined, all of these recent projects have proved that there is definitely a market for high-quality stories from both franchises, so much so that the time is more than perfect for an all-new Alien vs. Predator movie.
Both the Alien and Predator franchises have long been set in the same universe. Likewise, 2025's Predator: Badlands heavily featured Alien's Weyland-Yutani Corporation, proving that the shared universe concept is just as prevalent as ever, making an eventual Alien vs. Predator movie feel like a genuine continuation.
However, one of the most exciting theories actually involves the sequel to Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus and how it could lead to the perfect Alien vs. Predator crossover.
Set in the aftermath of the first Alien movie, Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus returns the series to its peak horror roots in 2024, following a group of young colonists who encounter the classic extraterrestrial apex predators as they scavenge an abandoned space station to escape the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Likewise, the sequel in development is expected to continue the story with the two sole survivors, Cailee Spaeny's Rain and David Jonsson's synthetic humanoid named Andy.
Meanwhile, Dan Trachtenberg's Predator: Badlands took a different (yet exciting) approach by making a young Yautja warrior named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) its protagonist, rather than a human like Naru in 2022's Prey or Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch in the original Predator film. Dek was also paired with Elle Fanning's Thia, another synthetic android formerly employed by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation who ends up going rogue and joining Dek's clan.
Looking ahead, Dan Trachtenberg has expressed interest in making more Predator movies, including stories that could connect the two franchises like a new Alien vs Predator movie, though a sequel to Badlands has not been confirmed. Even so, there are some exciting prospects for both franchises, like Ridley Scott returning to continue the story of Michael Fassbender's far more sinister synthetic named David, featured in both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.
Likewise, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is reportedly in development as well, creating an exciting opportunity to tie the franchises together, either as a secret Alien vs. Predator movie or setting up a future crossover that's reportedly in development as well.
As a super fun theory, one of the strongest routes toward another Alien vs. Predator movie could begin with Alien: Romulus 2. As seen at the end of the first Romulus, Rain and Andy were headed to Yvaga III, a fresh start and colony outside Weyland-Yutani's control. However, that doesn't necessarily mean the pair will find safety, as synths were said to not be permitted. The surviving duo also have the equally dangerous and valuable Z-01 compound where Weyland could easily send forces to retrieve.
In any event, one of the most exciting possibilities I'd love to see is Andy surviving the centuries to encounter Badlands' Thia, which is much further down the shared universe timeline. After all, synths have the potential to well outlast humans with proper maintenance, and who wouldn't want to see Jonsson and Fanning's characters interact? After all, they've both become two of both franchises' most popular characters in recent years.
With Andy perhaps still having the Xenomorph compound and Thia presumably still allied with Dek, it's not hard to see how the stage could be set where the two rogue androids are at the center of a new Alien vs Predator crossover, bridging this new era for both franchises in one of the coolest ways possible. Rather than simply throwing Xenomorphs and Yautja into the same arena, the movie could build on existing popular characters and their ongoing stories.
A group of young space colonists takes on a risky salvage job aboard a long abandoned space station, hoping for profit but instead awakening a lethal nightmare.
A daring twist on a familiar sci-fi monster saga sends audiences to a distant alien world where a young Yautja named Dek, cast out from his clan for being weak, must prove his worth by tracking down the ultimate prey. Along the way he forms an uneasy alliance with a damaged Weyland-Yutani android named Thia, the two facing savage terrain, monstrous foes, and threats far deadlier than either expected.
