What Is The Furthest Point In The Predator Timeline?
The Predator franchise spans multiple centuries across its various forms of media, including films, novels, comic books, and video games. The stories depict the long history of the Yautja species interacting with humanity and other species throughout time. Determining the furthest point in the Predator timeline involves examining the chronological endpoints in each medium, as official canon and continuity often differ between formats.
Furthest Point In The Movies: Predator Badlands, 24-25th Century
The most distant point in the Predator film continuity is now represented by Predator: Badlands, the latest Predator movie. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film features Dek, a young Yautja outcast seeking to prove himself, and Thia, a damaged Weyland-Yutani android, who form an uneasy alliance on a hostile alien planet. Dan Trachtenberg said that "This is the farthest out that it’s gone", hinting the movie happens even after Alien: Resurrection, which took place in 2381. However, in the Alien: Resurrection timeline, Weyland-Yutani was defunct, having been bought out by Wallmart beforehand. Still, the Alien Expanded universe explained a resurgence of Weyland-Yutani after Alien: Resurrection, spearheaded by cultist company fanatics (as explained in Alien: Uncivil War).
Furthest Point In The Games: AvP SNES, 2493
The furthest point in the Predator-related video game timeline occurs in Alien vs. Predator for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, released in 1993. The game takes place in the year 2493, where the planet Vega 4 faces a large-scale infestation of Xenomorphs, caused by ancient Alien eggs uncovered by digging a subway tunnel. In the storyline, a lone Predator travels to Vega 4 to eliminate the Alien threat, viewing the conflict as an opportunity for an honorable hunt. While not directly tied to the film continuity, this game situates the Predator timeline nearly five centuries after the events of the movies It is one of the first sources to do so, showing that the species continues to exist and hunt well into the 25th century. This is set about 100 year after Alien: Resurrection.
Furthest Point In The Books: Rage War Trilogy, 27th Century
In novel form, the timeline extends even further into the future with The Rage War Trilogy (2015–2016) by Tim Lebbon, consisting of Predator: Incursion, Alien: Invasion, and Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon. These novels are set during the 27th century, depicting a large-scale interstellar war involving humans, Predators, and Xenomorphs controlled by the mysterious Rage group. Within this timeline, the Yautja remain active as hunters and allies, playing a key role in humanity’s fight against a common threat. In this late period in the Yautja lore, the Predators live a tribal life in clans on space habitats (similar to space stations). They are lead by Kalakta, a very old and wise Predator King.
Furthest Point In Comics: Predator vs. Magnus Robot Fighter, 4001
The most distant point in the Predator timeline overall is found in the comic book crossover Predator vs. Magnus, Robot Fighter, published by Dark Horse Comics and Valiant in 1992. This story takes place in the year 4001 AD, within the Magnus, Robot Fighter universe. In it, a Predator arrives in a futuristic Earth where robots dominate society, and Magnus, a human hero trained to combat them, faces the Yautja. In a rare moment in Yautja lore, Magnus refuses a golden ring trophy offered by an Elder Predator after defeating the single hunter. Although set outside the mainline continuity, this crossover represents the furthest chronological event associated with the Predator universe.
Earliest Point: 2000 BC in Central America
While exploring the furthest periods of the Predator timeline, it's also worth mentioning the earliest moment. Although the earliest moment could be the Predator evolution on Yautja Prime, and their rebellion against the Amengi race, there is no way to set any specific date to these events. The earliest known event in the Predator timeline occurs around 2000 BC, as depicted in Alien vs. Predator (2004). In the film’s backstory, Yautja hunters visited Earth and taught early human civilizations to build pyramids, using them as arenas for ritual hunts against Xenomorphs. This ancient alliance established the foundation of humanity’s later encounters with the species.
Conclusion
Across the various forms of Predator media, the timeline stretches from approximately 2000 BC to as far as the 41st century. While each adaptation exists within its own continuity, the collective franchise portrays a species whose legacy spans thousands of years. However, the Predators have not changed much during these centuries, remaining technologically advanced hunters.
Tag Categories: Yautja Society, Predator Hunt, Predator: Badlands Lore
