How do you make the Predator even more of a badass? It’s simple, really: Show us trophies from previous hunts involving the most dangerous creatures in the universe.
That’s exactly what director Dan Trachtenberg does in Predator: Badlands with the visual of a Yautja spaceship wall adorned with different skulls. Aside from being a nice little callback to Predator 2, the image underscores just how formidable this organism can be when operating at full capacity. Based on the craniums on display, the viewer can clearly see that Dek’s older brother, Kwei (played by a combination of Mike Homik and Stefan Grube), has not taken down everything from humans to a tyrannosaurus rex.
And what’s that hanging right in the center of the collection?
Dan Trachtenberg confirms Independence Day Easter egg in Predator: Badlands
Yes, that is indeed the cranial remnant of what was once a member of the highly aggressive extra-terrestrial species (sometimes referred to as Harvesters) featured in Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day and its 2016 sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence. Welcome to Earth!
While most fans already clocked it in the film’s teaser trailer that debuted in April 2025 (see below), SYFY WIRE couldn’t resist broaching the topic over a recent Zoom call with Trachtenberg himself. The filmmaker officially confirmed the Easter egg with a simple, “Yeah.”
When we asked whether there was a thrilling tale behind the trophy, he replied: “Dare to dream of how cool that backstory would be.”
Humans were barely a match for them back in 1997, but just imagine how epic a fight would be between members of the Yautja and Harvesters. Two technologically advanced beings—one, an expert hunter trained in stealth and combat; the other, capable of mind control, nigh-impregnable forcefields, and wiping out entire planets.
Clearly, the latter was no match for Kwei, who was proud enough to make it the very centerpiece of his impressive trophy room.
At the end of the day, however, the inclusion of a Harvester skull is merely a fun nod to another iconic science fiction property owned by Disney’s 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox). Still, it’s fun to imagine the Predator, Alien, and Independence Day franchises all taking place in the same universe. And what’s more: None are going quietly into the night anytime soon.