Predator: Badlands, directed and written by franchise savior Dan Trachtenberg, premiered in U.S. theaters on November 7, 2025, achieving the highest opening weekend in Predator franchise history with $40 million domestic and $80 million globally, exceeding expectations and signaling Disney’s confidence in the sci-fi action series following 2022’s streaming success Prey. The film breaks franchise tradition by abandoning Earth for a futuristic setting on the Predators’ home planet, following Elle Fanning as Thia, a young woman who forms an unprecedented alliance with Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), an exiled young Predator navigating complex tribal politics and mysterious threats including kaiju-sized monsters dubbed “the ultimate adversary.” Directed by Trachtenberg alongside screenwriters Patrick Aison, John Thomas, and Jim Thomas (original franchise writers), with cinematographer Jeff Cutter and special effects from Studio Gillis (legendary Stan Winston Studios alumni), the film has earned substantial audience approval with an A- CinemaScore (highest in franchise history, surpassing 1987’s original and 1990’s sequel) while receiving mixed critical reception praising world-building, visual design, and character dynamics while criticizing tonal shifts and diminished predatory nature. The opening weekend performance shattered pre-release projections anticipating $25 million, nearly doubling expectations while establishing momentum for the franchise’s theatrical resurgence after Prey’s exclusive Hulu streaming model now appears retrospectively as a missed theatrical opportunity.
Plot and Premise: Alien Alliance and Cosmic Threats
Predator: Badlands abandons Earth’s jungles for a futuristic setting on the Predators’ home world, introducing an unprecedented narrative dynamic where human and Yautja form unexpected alliance. Thia (Elle Fanning), a young woman possessing either cybernetic or mystical abilities (evidenced by her eyes rolling white), meets Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Predator exiled from his tribe, forming an unlikely partnership to navigate their hostile environment.
The pair confronts multiple threats including roaming gangs of humans with laser rifles and mysterious creatures, most notably “the ultimate adversary”—a kaiju-sized monster towering over Yautja warriors, signaling the introduction of formidable new threats to the franchise universe. The narrative weaves Yautja ritual, culture, and tribal hierarchy while exploring themes of exile, belonging, and unexpected alliances forged through shared survival, drawing inspiration from Dark Horse Comics canon featuring characters like Machiko Noguchi forming symbiotic human-Predator relationships.
Cast and Characters
Elle Fanning as Thia (Protagonist): The seasoned performer (best known for playing Princess Aurora in Maleficent opposite Angelina Jolie) carries the film as the mysterious young woman capable of forming alliance with exiled Predator. Fanning transitions from child to leading lady roles across her career, bringing nuanced characterization to complex female protagonists in science fiction narratives.
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek (Young Predator): The stunt performer trainee voices the primary Yautja character, reportedly learning the fictional alien language for authentic portrayal. His casting emphasizes the film’s commitment to Predator culture exploration, with his motion-capture and practical performance suggesting significant on-screen time and character depth.
Supporting Cast: The film includes characterizations of Yautja elders conducting rituals, human antagonists wielding advanced weaponry, and additional Predator characters representing tribe hierarchy and cultural dynamics previously unexplored in cinema.
Director and Creative Team
Director/Writer: Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, The Boys) | Screenwriters: Patrick Aison (Prey collaborator), John Thomas, Jim Thomas (original 1987 Predator writers) | Cinematographer: Jeff Cutter (Prey collaborator) | Producer: Distributed by 20th Century Studios (Disney)
Special Effects: Studio Gillis (established from legendary Stan Winston Studios lineage, franchise history) | Production Timeline: Announced February 2024; principal photography August-October 2024 in New Zealand; post-production complete as of November 2025
Trachtenberg’s involvement as director-writer and his recruitment of original franchise architects Thomas brothers signals Disney’s confidence in maintaining franchise continuity while exploring unprecedented narrative territory. The involvement of Stan Winston Studios successors emphasizes commitment to practical effects augmented by CGI, allowing Yautja to express unprecedented emotional subtlety beyond previous iterations.
Critical Reception and Ratings
CinemaScore: A- (Highest in franchise history, surpassing 1987 original and 1990 sequel which both earned B+) | Critical Reception: Mixed-to-positive | IMDb User Reviews: Range 4-10/10 with significant divergence based on franchise expectations
Positive Reception Highlights: “Amazing movie from start to finish,” “one of the best Predator movies,” “pure adrenaline from start to finish,” “excellent sci-fi action,” “world-building is visually stunning.” Critics praised action choreography, creature design, soundtrack (“stupendous”), cinematography, and character-driven storytelling emphasizing emotional themes alongside action spectacle. Users specifically highlighted the film’s world-building expansion (“opens rare window into inner world and culture of Yautja”), new creature introductions, and Dan Trachtenberg’s directorial mastery.
Mixed/Negative Reception Highlights: “Predator: Badlands Lands Bad,” “Feels like I’ve already watched this movie a dozen times,” “Not a predator movie.” Critics noted the film “doesn’t hunt people, isn’t a cold-blooded killing machine, and can’t even turn invisible,” making it “feel like something I’ve seen a dozen times before.” Specific criticisms included: PG-13 rating softening, creature design marketing compromises, humanized culture dynamics replacing alien strangeness, diminished predatory nature, inconsistent cinematography/editing, diminished terror compared to original franchise identity.
Box Office Performance: Historic Opening
Opening Weekend (November 7-9, 2025): $40 million domestic, $40 million international (52 territories), $80 million worldwide | Friday (Including Previews): $15.6 million | Opening Records: Franchise-best domestic opening (beating 2004’s Alien vs. Predator with $38.3M), franchise-best franchise-history CinemaScore (A-, surpassing B+ from 1987 and 1990)
Pre-Release Projections Shattered: Industry analysts had projected $25 million opening weekend; actual $40 million more than doubled expectations. Wednesday-Thursday preview earnings reached $4.8 million (lower than Alien: Romulus’s $6.5M, but notable given status as Prey sequel rather than franchise reboot).
International Performance: Top markets included China ($7.4M), United Kingdom ($3.2M), Mexico ($2.3M). Strong international showing matched domestic performance equally, signaling global audience appetite.
Predator Franchise Box Office History
Predator (1987): $98.3 million worldwide ($59.7M domestic, $38.5M international) | Budget: $15-18 million | ROI: Exceptional | Legacy: Iconic classic establishing franchise
Predator 2 (1990): $54.8 million worldwide ($28.3M domestic, $26.5M international) | Budget: $35 million | Performance: Disappointing sequel
Alien vs. Predator (2004): $172.5 million worldwide ($80.3M domestic, $92.2M international) | Budget: $70 million | Record holder (pre-Badlands) for franchise opening ($38.3M domestic)
Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem (2007): $128.9 million worldwide ($41.8M domestic, $87.1M international) | Budget: $40 million
Predators (2010): $127.2 million worldwide ($52M domestic, $75.2M international) | Budget: $40 million | Positive reception as franchise reboot
The Predator (2018): $160.5 million worldwide ($73.5M domestic, $87M international) | Budget: $88 million | Previous franchise opening record ($73.5M domestically)
Prey (2022): Exclusive Hulu streaming premiere (box office: N/A) | Status: Most-watched Hulu premiere of all time | Franchise-saving critical success | Theatrical release rumored but unrealized
Predator: Badlands (2025): $80 million opening weekend, franchise-high CinemaScore, trajectory suggesting potential to surpass Alien vs. Predator’s inflation-adjusted $80M domestic opening.
Franchise Companion Project: Predator: Killer of Killers Animated Series
Simultaneously with Badlands development, Dan Trachtenberg directed animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers (premiered June 2025), featuring three independent historical narratives: Viking woman seeking vengeance, medieval Japan spy/assassin, and WWII fighter pilot—each facing Yautja hunters. The anthology approach signals Disney’s franchise diversification strategy, extending Predator universe through animation and streaming alongside theatrical releases.
