Now thatArnold Schwarzenegger has finally returnedto thePredatorfranchise, we may finally get an epic showdown that sci-fi fans have been waiting on for nearly 40 years. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the original protagonist of the Predator franchise, starring as Dutch Schaeffer in 1987’sPredator, although that was, until recently, his only appearance.
That changed with the additional mid-credits scene added to the animated anthologyPredator: Killer of Killers, which was one of themost-hyped moments from San Diego Comic-Con 2025. In the additional scene, which was announced by franchise revivalist Dan Trachtenberg, two of thefranchise’s most popular characters returned, including Dutch Schaeffer.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to the franchise opens up a brand-new world of possibilities as far as what role he could have moving forward. Having formally announced his permanent departure from theTerminatorfranchise, the Governator should be available for at least one more go at the Predators.
However, there is another showdown that’s even more epic and exciting, and it’s one that sci-fi fans would never have dreamed would be a possibility until Comic-Con.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Could Fight A Xenomorph Now After Returning To Predator
Both Rejuvenated Franchises Seem To Be Building To A Cross-Over
AnAlien vs. Predatorseems inevitable at this point, with both franchises dropping small hints and Easter eggs in their most recent entries.Some theorize that the swiftly-approachingPredator: Badlandsis a stealth reboot of theAlien vs. Predatorfranchise, and the “apex predator” referred to in thelatest action-packed traileris actually a hidden xenomorph.
Assuming the two franchises do collide, there is suddenly the very real possibility thatwe could see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch Schaefer take on a xenomorph. As one of the most recognizable Predato-killers in the franchise, Dutch could absolutely find himself fighting on the side of the Predators against a xenomorph attack, which would be the greater of the two evils.
The stasis pods shown at the end ofPredator: Killer of Killersappear to have preserved each of the individuals who have killed a Yautja in the state they were in at the time of their encounter with the cosmic hunter. While that’s not an issue for Amber Midthunder’s Naru,it will be interesting to see how the franchise handles the much older Schwarzenegger.
Writer/director Dan Trachtenberg is currently developing a sequel to 2022’s runaway hitPreyin addition to the upcomingPredator: Badlands, and it’s now possible that Schwarzenegger appears in both or either movie.
Digital de-aging technology gets better by the year thanks in large part to advances in effects technology, soit’s plausible that Schwarzenegger could play himself, and they could superimpose his younger face over his body. No matter how it comes to pass, seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting a xenomorph would be an all-time hype moment for both thePredatorandAlienfranchises.
