If you’ve been keeping up with the Alien and Predator movies lately, you might be wondering whether you need to do a full cinematic cram session before jumping into Predator: Badlands.

The good news? You don’t. Director Dan Trachtenberg has made it clear that his upcoming sci-fi action film stands completely on its own, no prerequisite viewing required.

The Alien and Predator franchises have always shared DNA, but Trachtenberg says there’s no need to worry about deep timeline connections or crossover setups this time.

While Alien: Romulus and Alien: Earth expand their own stories in the shared universeBadlands is charting its own path.

“There was a lot going on while we were making this movie. Romulus was not yet out, and I hadn’t seen it yet. And Alien: Earth, I was aware of happening, but not sure where that was (going to) end up. So we decided to set ourselves well into the future.”

That decision gave Badlands the freedom to explore a brand-new part of this cinematic world without worrying about continuity puzzles.

The movie stars Elle Fanning as Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synth from the Alien universe’s infamous mega-corporation. Setting the story so far ahead allows Trachtenberg to build something fresh while keeping the spirit of both franchises alive.

“So all the stuff that has happened would have happened before our movie. We’re not trying to squeeze (it) in. (I am) also cognizant of how, in this day and age, with all the media that we have, some of it can feel like homework.

“And you’re going to have to remind yourself, where in a timeline does this sit between this movie and that movie? And I really do not want that to be the case with Badlands.”

That mindset is a breath of fresh air for fans who just want to enjoy an awesome Predator movie without consulting a flowchart first. Trachtenberg’s approach sounds like a good balance that is familiar enough for longtime fans to recognize the world, but far enough removed that newcomers can jump right in.

So, you can skip the homework and just enjoy what promises to be a wild, future-set showdown between one of cinema’s most iconic hunters and whatever unlucky creatures cross its path.