REVIEW: ‘Predator: Badlands’ Advances The Franchise Into A Thrilling New Territory

Predator Badlands © 20th Century Studios

For many, including the studio, it seemed the Predator franchise was quickly running out of gas after a series of underperforming entries in the series, the nail in the coffin seemingly being Shane Black's controversy fueled and critically panned The Predator. However, this was all before Dan Trachtenberg stepped into the frame with Prey: A self-contained, stand-alone film that packed a tight story with a string of characters, thrills, and action set pieces. He then returned with a surprise animated feature on Disney+, Predator: Killer of Killers, a very different but exciting film great for what it was and what it intended to do. Now he's back once again with Predator: Badlands, and it's yet another home run that, like the former entry, begins to connect different strands of the series that hints at an exciting future with a strong and secure plan in place for where it intends to go.

Predator: Badlands flips the series upside down for a refreshing change of pace, instead of its Yautja lead filling the role of the antagonist, it steps into the shoes of the movie's protagonist. Through this creative decision, director Dan Trachtenberg explores a side to a Predator we haven't seen before, alongside some elements that previous iterations have touched upon, such as their ways of life, hunting, and communication with things not considered as their primary target. The overarching question of the movie is: What if a Predator is seen as the weakest of its group, and what does that mean for the Yautja itself?The Yautja in question, placed at the forefront of Predator Badlands is Dek, brought to life greatly by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

Dek is viewed as the runt of the litter in his tribe, and after narrowly evading death, sets out on a quest to prove his worth by killing what others, through either experience or legend, view as an "unkillable" beast. Along his journey he comes across a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic unit named Thia (Ellie Fanning). Not only is this a great character in this film, but also one of the biggest connections to the Alien franchise we've seen feature in this series in quite some time, possibly alluding to a future new addition to the existing Alien vs. Predator duology, or something even more exciting we don't currently know. Elle, in yet another dual performance in a 2025 movie (as in Superman, Sinners, and Mickey 17), additionally features as one of the film's primary antagonists, a second Weyland-Yutani named Tessa. The dual roles allow for Elle to bring a welcomed dose of humour and heart to the film as Thia, complimenting the film's themes of self-worth and found family through the character's own thoughts and actions. She also delivers a threatening and more serious tone as Tessa, who unlike her self-titled sister, believes her sole purpose is to complete the mission she's been assigned for, as just like Dek she is also charting the planet for a reason that later gets revealed.

Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in Predator Badlands © 20th Century Studios

Though initially hesitant to partner with Thia, her relationship with Dek is an unlikely alliance that's rather joyful to watch unfold across the respectfully paced one hour and forty-seven minute runtime. An additional creature is tossed into the mix and effectively becomes the movie's version of 'Baby Yoda,' which isn't a bad thing not only thanks to its execution but also its explored purpose to the story. Like Dek and Thia, the idea of a "found family" resonates for all three widely looked down upon characters.

Accompanying Predator Badlands is an abundance of slick, strong, and despite a PG-13 rating, violent and brutal action with plenty of blood (even if not humanly red at times) to go around. There's decapitations, exploding heads and detached limbs aplenty, so although the movies tone, humour, and light story at times may lean towards a "family friendly" style film, it ironically manages to meet the expectations of both potentials: The idea of this film and the basic story may at times certainly feel familiar, but in a Predator movie, it's something previously untouched and thus an uncharted piece of this world.

Visually, in terms of the multiple visual effects, Predator Badlands is as strong as its previous series siblings, though it feels flat, an unexpected & unfortunate flaw (though really a nitpick) of having Jeff Cutter (Prey) returning as the director of photography. There's a plethora of shots that, though appealing, feel washed multiple times over. A multitude of these are present across the marketing for the movie.

Ultimately, Dan Trachtenberg yet again leads the Predator series into uncharted territory with Predator Badlands which, though oozing in violence and deliciously put together action sequences, is an ironically tender and humourous sci-fi fantasy about companionship and found-family with a strong exploration of the Yautja Mythology and great hand-in-hand performances from Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Kolomantangi, making it one of the most accessible films of the year with plenty of fun to be had.

Rating: ★★★½

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Predator Badlands © 20th Century Studios

About Predator Badlands

Premiere Date: November 7, 2025

Writer: Patrick Aison, Jim Thomas, John Thomas

Director: Dan Trachtenberg

Producers: John Davis, Brent O'Connor, Marc Toberoff, Dan Trachtenberg, Ben Rosenblatt

Production:  Lawrence Golden Productions, Davis Entertainment, Toberoff Entertainment

Distribution: 20th Century Studios

Cast: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Reuben de Jong

Synopsis: A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.