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20th Century

20th Century is actively expanding the Predator franchise across theatrical and streaming formats, pursuing hardcore action and broader PG-13 audience segments simultaneously.

Current mandate

20th Century is currently in an active franchise-expansion phase anchored by the Predator IP. Following the critical and subscriber success of "Prey" on Hulu in 2022, the studio approached director Dan Trachtenberg for additional ideas, a move that produced two distinct projects: the animated Hulu feature "Predator: Killer of Killers" and the theatrical release "Predator: Badlands," the first PG-13 installment in the franchise. The studio is simultaneously targeting legacy fans seeking the most hardcore Predator experience possible and younger audiences who have grown up with Star Wars and Marvel as their primary sci-fi touchstones.

Over the past twelve months, 20th Century's content signals point to a two-track acquisition and development pattern: R-rated or unrated action content designed for streaming platforms such as Hulu, and broader-audience theatrical genre films that can serve as franchise entry points. The two-hander action thriller format is a consistent structural preference, with projects built around intense, contained confrontations between a small number of principals. The studio has also demonstrated appetite for anthology-style world-building, using animated and live-action formats within the same IP to table-set mythology for future installments.

Writers and producers seeking access should monitor the studio's ongoing Predator universe expansion as a signal of the genres and tones currently in favor. The clearest pathway is through representation familiar with 20th Century's development slate, as the studio's recent pattern has been to approach proven collaborators directly rather than through open submissions. Attaching a director or producer with a prior relationship to the studio meaningfully improves consideration odds.

Signature peaks

  • 2 New Predator Projects Franchise Expansion Mode — Killer of Killers (Hulu animated) + Badlands (theatrical) greenlit after Prey's success
  • First PG-13 Entry Audience Broadening — Predator: Badlands targets younger audiences beyond core franchise fans
  • Dual-Platform Strategy Streaming + Theatrical Split — Hulu animated and theatrical releases running in parallel within same IP

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus
action, thriller
Territory focus
Not disclosed
Budget tier (observed)
Not disclosed
Access pattern
Warm introduction through representation with prior studio relationships. Direct outreach from unrepresented writers is not supported by observed behavior. Convention panels (notably San Diego Comic-Con) serve as relationship touchpoints. 12 decision makers are currently tracked in the ScriptMatch system.
Deal structure
Recent activity spans animated streaming features for Hulu and PG-13 theatrical releases, indicating deal structures are platform-dependent. No specific acquisition amounts are documented in available coverage. The studio has demonstrated a preference for developing IP internally with trusted collaborators rather than acquiring finished scripts from the open market.

Market context

"I always wanted to make sure that people feel like the movie is a laser that goes through them like, Oh my God, this movie was made for me."

20th Century is currently in an active franchise-expansion phase anchored by the Predator IP. Following the critical and subscriber success of "Prey" on Hulu in 2022, the studio approached director Dan Trachtenberg for additional ideas, a move that produced two distinct projects: the animated Hulu feature "Predator: Killer of Killers" and the theatrical release "Predator: Badlands," the first PG-13 installment in the franchise. The studio is simultaneously targeting legacy fans seeking the most hardcore Predator experience possible and younger audiences who have grown up with Star Wars and Marvel as their primary sci-fi touchstones.

Common questions about 20th Century

Does 20th Century accept unsolicited scripts?

Based on current signals, 20th Century does not appear to operate an open submission pipeline. The studio's recent pattern has been to identify proven collaborators and approach them directly. After 'Prey' performed well with critics and Hulu subscribers, 20th Century went back to director Dan Trachtenberg to solicit new ideas rather than sourcing from an open pool. Writers without existing relationships should seek representation with established studio access before attempting outreach.

What budget range does 20th Century target for acquisitions?

No specific acquisition budget figures are available in recent coverage. The studio's current activity spans both animated streaming features released on Hulu and theatrical releases, suggesting a range of production scales rather than a single budget tier. 'Predator: Killer of Killers' as an animated Hulu feature and 'Predator: Badlands' as a theatrical PG-13 release represent meaningfully different cost profiles, indicating the studio evaluates budget on a project-by-project basis tied to format and platform.

Does 20th Century acquire films from festivals?

Recent coverage does not document festival acquisitions as a primary sourcing channel for 20th Century. The studio's current activity is centered on internally developed franchise IP rather than festival pickups. That said, the studio does engage with major fan conventions: a panel at this year's San Diego Comic-Con was used to debut new footage from 'Predator: Killer of Killers,' suggesting Comic-Con and similar events function as marketing and relationship-building venues rather than acquisition marketplaces.

How do I reach decision makers at 20th Century?

The studio has 12 decision makers currently tracked in the ScriptMatch system, with the latest signal recorded in March 2026. The most reliable pathway, based on observed behavior, is through representation that has an existing relationship with the studio's development and production executives. 20th Century's recent approach of going directly to Trachtenberg after 'Prey' underscores that warm introductions and prior collaboration history carry significant weight in how the studio sources new material.

What genres is 20th Century focused on right now?

Current signals point strongly to action thriller and sci-fi action, with a specific structural preference for the two-hander format. The studio is building out the Predator franchise across both hardcore R-rated action (designed to deliver, per executive quotes, 'the most hardcore experience' possible) and broader PG-13 sci-fi action aimed at audiences familiar with Star Wars and Marvel. Contained, high-intensity confrontations between a small number of principals appear to be the preferred narrative architecture at this moment.

Is 20th Century actively acquiring right now?

Activity metrics show 14 total records logged over the past 12 months, with zero unique deals recorded in the most recent 30-day and 90-day windows. The latest tracked signal is from March 2026. This pattern suggests the studio is in a production and release cycle rather than an active acquisition sprint at this moment. However, the ongoing Predator franchise expansion and the teased return of Schwarzenegger and Glover's characters in future animated installments indicate continued development activity is underway.

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