Introduction: A Predator with Feelings – Just What the Franchise Needed?
You know how Hollywood has an incurable addiction to nostalgia, and the only cure is more reboots? Well, someone at 20th Century Studios clearly said, “Let’s do Predator again, but this time… he’s the good guy.” That’s Predator Badlands in a nutshell – the eighth (eighth!) mainline entry in a franchise that began in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger shouting at a crab-faced alien like it owed him money.
But unlike the usual brainless meathead mayhem, predator Badlands comes from director Dan Trachtenberg, the man who gave us Prey – the one decent Predator film since the Cold War ended. So, the bar is low, but not underground.
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The Plot: Predator Goes Rogue, Befriends a Robot, Fights Capitalism (Sort Of)
Set in a bleak future where humanity has clearly lost the plot (again), Predator Badlands introduces us to Dek, a young Yautja (that’s Predator for those not fluent in intergalactic growling) who’s been banished by his clan. Why? Because he did the unthinkable: he showed mercy. Imagine being cancelled by a species of trophy-hunting extraterrestrial gym bros for not skinning someone alive.
Dek ends up on a desolate planet – no, not Earth, surprisingly – where he meets Thia, a synthetic human played by Elle Fanning. Yes, the Predator befriends an android. If this sounds like the weirdest buddy cop setup ever, you’re not wrong. Together, they must fight off a truly nightmarish new creature that makes the Xenomorph look like a disgruntled cat in a Halloween costume.
This mysterious monster – which, according to Trachtenberg, “makes the Predator look cute” – is possibly the film’s biggest twist. No one knows what it is yet, but it’s safe to assume it’s something horrific cooked up by Weyland-Yutani, a company that treats ethics like a seasonal trend.
Meet the Cast: Yep, That’s Elle Fanning in a Predator Movie
Let’s address the plasma-cannon-wielding elephant in the room: Elle Fanning is in a Predator film. Yes, that Elle Fanning. Star of The Great and indie darlings galore. She plays Thia, a synthetic humanoid created by Weyland-Yutani (a company with a corporate ethos lifted directly from Black Mirror fan fiction). She’s stoic, intelligent and unlike everyone in The Predator (2018) – not aggressively annoying.
Then there’s Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek – our Predator badlands protagonist with a moral compass, a tragic backstory and probably the worst PR team in the galaxy. This marks the first time in franchise history the actual Predator gets a full-blown emotional arc. Whether that means he sheds a tear or just doesn’t rip someone’s spine out remains to be seen.
Dan Trachtenberg: Savior of the Franchise or Madman with a Budget?
Dan Trachtenberg clearly got bored of giving us low-stakes suspense. After 10 Cloverfield Lane and the surprisingly solid Prey, he’s back to completely rewire what a Predator film is. This time, he’s drawn inspiration from Shadow of the Colossus, Frank Frazetta art and The Revenant – so expect vast wilderness, heavy silence and a Predator with more emotional range than most Oscar nominees.
He also roped in Patrick Aison (co-writer of Prey) to pen the screenplay for Predator Badlands. This duo clearly understands that the way to save a bloated sci-fi franchise is to tell smaller, weirder stories about sad aliens and emotionally constipated androids.
Also of note: the film’s Predator language (yes, they speak now) was created by the same linguist who made the Na’vi language for Avatar. So if you were hoping for Predator poetry or heartfelt monologues in clicky alien dialects… well, dreams do come true.
Visuals and Vibes: Less “Explosion Porn,” More Moody Art House Apocalypse
If Prey gave us Predator meets prestige historical drama, Predator Badlands is Predator by way of arthouse sci-fi. Shot in New Zealand (because desolation always looks better when surrounded by misty hills), the film swaps jungles and cityscapes for remote alien badlands – think Mad Max, but with fewer cars.
The cinematographer is Jeff Cutter and the practical effects come courtesy of Wētā Workshop, so expect creatures that look less like rejected Power Rangers villains and more like nightmare fuel in HD. Dek himself is a practical suit – no uncanny CGI weirdness here. And the big monster? Rumours suggest it’s a hybrid, possibly linked to Weyland-Yutani’s attempts to engineer the “perfect” predator. Because that always ends well.
The Alien Connection: The Crossover Everyone Pretends Didn’t Happen
Let’s not beat around the acid-blooded bush – yes, there’s potential crossover with the Alien universe. Fanning’s character was built by Weyland-Yutani and if that name doesn’t give you a migraine of continuity issues, you haven’t been paying attention. It’s the same company that thought bringing Xenomorphs to Earth was a solid business plan.
While Predator Badlands doesn’t explicitly feature Xenomorphs (yet), Trachtenberg hasn’t ruled it out. Meaning: we may finally get the shared universe that AVP tried to build without it feeling like a sweaty fanboy convention on fire.
Release Date & Distribution: Popcorn Season Gets Serious
Predator: Badlands hits theatres on November 7, 2025. Which means it’ll be sandwiched between at least five Marvel spinoffs, a Fast & Furious prequel, and another attempt to revive The Matrix. But while the competition is fierce, the sheer curiosity factor of a Predator hero story might give this film a solid edge.
After its theatrical run, it’ll no doubt show up on Hulu and Disney+, because nothing says family-friendly entertainment quite like alien decapitations and dystopian android bonding.
Why It Might Actually Work (No, Seriously)
- The Predator has been redesigned as a sympathetic antihero – which sounds like blasphemy, but might be the only way to keep things fresh after seven increasingly awful sequels.
- Elle Fanning is incapable of delivering a bad performance – and that includes films where she has to act opposite a guy in a 7-foot monster suit.
- Trachtenberg’s last film, Prey, was the best Predator flick since the original – and he’s bringing the same tight direction and atmospheric style to Badlands.
- Weyland-Yutani backstory opens up wider Alien/Predator lore – perfect for nerds who keep track of canon like it’s the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Final Verdict: A Predator With an Identity Crisis Might Be Exactly What We Need
In a world oversaturated with remakes, reboots and rehashed nostalgia, Predator: Badlands does something radical – it gives the monster a soul. Or at least a bit of emotional nuance and a robot pal.
Whether it ends up being an arthouse masterpiece wrapped in sci-fi gore or an awkward attempt to humanize a space crab with anger issues, one thing’s certain: it won’t be boring. And honestly, after The Predator (2018), that’s a bloody miracle.
Predator: Badlands
Thia
Dek
No trailer available.
