Wait, Did the New Predator Just Equip a *World of Warcraft* Demon Hunter Warglaive?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
The new *Predator: Badlands* movie is taking some delightfully unexpected cues from the gaming world, with director Dan Trachtenberg revealing that the new Predator's multi-mode laser sword was directly inspired by *World of Warcraft*'s iconic Demon Hunter warglaive, alongside narrative influences from *Shadow of the Colossus*.
Bloody hell, mate, you ever just stumble across a piece of news that makes your brain do a double-take? You know, like when you're trying to brew a simple potion and accidentally summon a tiny, adorable elder god? That's kinda how I felt when I heard about the latest *Predator: Badlands* movie and its wildly unexpected gaming inspirations.
Now, if you're like me, you probably didn't have 'Yautja hunter gets gear upgrade thanks to Blizzard's iconic MMO' on your bingo card for 2025. But, fair dinkum, here we are. Dan Trachtenberg, the director behind the upcoming *Predator: Badlands* – and who's already proven his mettle with the fantastic *Prey* and *Killer of Killers* – has been spilling the beans at IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition, and it turns out our new cinematic Predator, known as Dek, is packing some serious heat, courtesy of Azeroth.
Specifically, Trachtenberg, who apparently plays a fair bit of *World of Warcraft* (a man of culture, I see!), confirmed that Dek's snazzy new laser sword – which, yes, is a *laser sword* – took its primary inspiration from none other than the Demon Hunter's iconic warglaive. You know the one. Think Illidan Stormrage, spinning and slicing through legions with those wicked, curved blades. It's a look, isn't it? And now, a Predator gets to rock it. Honestly, if this chap turns out to be an actual player who decided to infuse his film's weaponry with his raid night dreams, I'm all for it. That's the kind of meta-magic I can get behind.
Trachtenberg dove into the details, describing Dek's arsenal as a blend of classic James Bond gadgetry – a vibe he's always connected to the *Predator* franchise – but cranked up to a future-tech maximum. His previous Predator flicks were rooted in the past, forcing him to think about 'pre-tech' weaponry. But with *Badlands* leaping forward in time, he's let rip. Dek's apparently got laser bows (because, why not?), but the star of the show is this multi-mode laser sword. It starts off held like a classic knight's broadsword or a samurai's katana, but then, with a flick of a wrist or a mental command (who knows, it's sci-fi!), it shifts into that glorious glaive mode. It's like a spell that changes its elemental damage type mid-fight, offering a tactical edge, which is precisely the kind of thoughtful game design-inspired approach that gets my digital wizard senses tingling.
Now, the *WoW* influence isn't the only gaming connection Trachtenberg is making. He also cited *Shadow of the Colossus*, that PlayStation masterpiece from 2005, as an inspiration for the dynamic between young Dek and Elle Fanning's character, a Weyland-Yutani synth he's lugging around. Talk about an unexpected pairing! *Shadow of the Colossus* is all about those epic, often lonely, boss fights and a singular, complex relationship. Blending that emotional depth with the brutal efficiency of a *WoW* Demon Hunter? That's a recipe for some genuinely interesting storytelling, if you ask me.
We've seen glimpses of Dek's laser sword in action in the *Predator: Badlands* trailer, cutting down monsters, the 'Death Planet' itself (which sounds like an absolute nightmare of an environmental hazard), and other Yautja. But Trachtenberg's comment about Dek *starting out* with a number of cool gadgets got my inner gamer wondering. Could this be a classic 'Metroid-style' progression, where our hero loses his powerful gear early on and has to fight to regain or upgrade it? That's a narrative mechanic that resonates deeply with us gamers, and it could add a fantastic layer of challenge and discovery to the film.
On a slightly different note, we've also heard that *Predator: Badlands* won't technically be R-rated, though the creators are banking on it *feeling* like one regardless. Now, that's a clever bit of wordplay, isn't it? Always makes me a touch gently skeptical when studios try to play both sides of that fence, but if they pull it off, more power to 'em. And for those hoping for an *Alien* crossover, Trachtenberg has put the kibosh on Xenomorphs, despite the ever-present evil megacorp Weyland-Yutani making an appearance. Probably a smart move, keeps the focus tight on what makes Predator, well, Predator.
Honestly, I reckon this crossover inspiration is precisely the kind of delightful madness that makes pop culture so much fun. It's not just a director dropping an Easter egg; it's a statement about where ideas come from, how gaming seeps into everything, and how creative minds draw connections across seemingly disparate universes. So, get ready to see some serious glaive action when *Predator: Badlands* hits theaters on November 7, 2025. I, for one, will be there, cheering for every laser-powered parry and thinking, 'That's my Demon Hunter, doing work!'
Source: IGN South Africa, Original Author: Wesley Yin-Poole
Tags: Predator, World of Warcraft, Film Adaptation, Gaming Inspiration, Sci-Fi
Original article: IGN South Africa