‘Predator: Badlands’ lands in the cinemas on November 7
'Predator: Badlands' lands in the cinemas on November 7
“Predator: Badlands” hits the cinemas worldwide on November 7 2025 in IMAX and RealD 3D. The film, produced by 20th Century Studios, is a creative shift because for the first time, a Predator story unfolds almost entirely from the Yautja’s perspective, with no human protagonists. Director Dan Trachtenberg, who revived the franchise with “Prey” (2022), said at San Diego Comic-Con that “there are no humans in this film.”
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‘Predator: Badlands’ plot
The film takes place in the future on a remote, hostile planet called Kalisk (or “Badlands”) which features extreme terrain and predatory fauna. The story centers on Dek, a young Yautja outcast (smaller in stature, considered a runt or underdog) played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, and Thia (played by Elle Fanning), a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic (hence, no humans in this film). When a failed experiment strands them on a planet filled with rival Predator clans and colossal creatures, their uneasy alliance challenges ancient rules of honor and exposes the corporate manipulation behind the “perfect hunt.” Dek soon realizes that Thia’, whose ‘s knowledge of the planet’s ecosystem, dangers, and corporate motives are vital for his survival. Their alliance begins reluctantly but evolves.
Trachtenberg describes it as “a brutal survival story, but also strangely fun,” blending high-concept sci-fi with tribal drama. For the first time, the production team built a full Yautja language, developed by the linguist who created Na’vi for “Avatar”, to ground the Predator culture in linguistic realism.
“Predator: Badlands” is the sixth live-action feature in the franchise (ninth if counting spin-offs and animation). It takes place centuries after “Prey”, yet before the modern-day installments. The inclusion of Weyland-Yutani also ties the film to the wider “Alien” / “Predator” shared universe. 2025 also marks the launch of “Alien: Earth,” Noah Hawley’s FX/Disney+ series set in 2120. That project deals with Weyland-Yutani experiments on Earth, overlapping thematically with “Badlands”’ portrayal of corporate manipulation and bio-weapon ambition.
A new Predator trilogy in the making?
At Comic-Con, producer John Davis confirmed that “Badlands” opens the door for a trilogy exploring the Predator homeworld.
What distinguishes “Predator Badlands” from the rest of the franchise is that the Predator is no longer the monster but the lens. Viewers experience hierarchy, ritual, and fear through Yautja eyes. Multiple clans, each with unique armor designs and fighting codes, feature in large-scale sequences filmed in New Zealand. Entire dialogues unfold in subtitled Yautja.
Marvel’s “Predator: Badlands #1” comic, releasing November 12 2025, will already expand Dek’s backstory as a rite-of-passage prequel.
7 ‘Predator: Badlands’ trailers
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