Predator: Badlands
Details
Although the Predator universe has presented us with one of cinema's most iconic creatures since 1987, the series' true potential remained superficial for a long time. When Dan Trachtenberg breathed new life into this universe with "Prey" in 2022, many viewers witnessed the series being reborn. The director now seeks to pose a much more ambitious question with the same original vision: Who follows the hunter who is the hunter? Predator: Wild Lands takes us away from the familiar Earth settings and thrusts us directly into enemy territory, into the heart of the unknown. The deadly environment of an alien planet is not just the backdrop of the film; it is almost a character in its own right. The forests whose shadows conceal unknowns, the open fields teeming with undefined threats, and the overwhelming tension felt at every step keep the viewer glued to their seat. The film's atmosphere is deliberately oppressive, yet it also possesses a strange beauty. At the center of the story is a figure who has been pushed beyond even his own genre. Expelled from his clan, left alone and vulnerable, this alien hunter's crossing paths with an unexpected ally adds a dimension to the series that has never been tried before. This relationship, caught between the survival instinct and a matter of honor, forms the emotional backbone of the film. Elle Fanning's presence adds both vulnerability and willpower to this equation; it forces the audience to connect with the character. Trachtenberg's management approach also manifests itself here: instead of a noisy action fury, he prefers a tempo that gradually builds tension and makes each scene meaningful. The invisible threat, the inevitable chase, and the unexpected alliances keep the viewing experience constantly fresh. The film reminds us that no matter how strong you are, everything can change when you encounter the wrong enemy in the wrong territory. For fans of the series, it's a bold dive into a familiar universe; for new viewers, it's a breathtaking survival story from scratch. With the new perspective it brings to the Predator mythology, it is making its mark among the intriguing fantasy productions of 2025.
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Reviews
Manuel São Bento
November 06, 2025
7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/predator-badlands-movie-review-dan-trachtenberg-earns-the-franchise-keys-by-flipping-the-hunt/ "Predator: Badlands is an audacious exercise in reinvention that takes a risk and triumphs. The movie excels in every technical department, featuring a spectacle of creature design and sound work, and offering a new thematic vision for the saga's longevity. Elle Fanning's superb performance and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi's powerful p...
Chris Sawin
November 11, 2025
9/10
Predator: Badlands is the first Predator film since 2022’s Prey. It is also the second Predator-related media released this year. Hulu’s animated anthology film, Predator: Killer of Killers, is now streaming. All three titles were directed and/or written by Dan Trachtenberg. Badlands follows Dek, a young Predator who yearns for his father's approval but struggles to escape the shadow of his bigger and older brother Kwei. Their father, viewing proud Yautja lineage as something reserved for onl...

CinemaSerf
November 20, 2025
6/10
“Dek” is the runt of the “Yautja” clan so his militaristic father has asked his elder brother “Kwei” to get rid of him. Luckily, his brother isn’t so brutal and so with an impossible task on his hands to prove his worth, “Dek” manages to escape to a planet where he seeks to make a trophy from the menacing “Kalisk”. Thing is, this place is riddled with all sorts of flesh-eating monsters and plants so his own survival chances aren’t especially high until he encounters the top half of synthetic “Th...

Dave
December 02, 2025
8/10
> Director of his 3rd Predator project, I think…3 times a charm…Dan Trachtenburg , obviously understands Alien. I think he brought the “aliens” in Cameron style to this pg13 Disney + friendly film. So maybe for a newer audience that wants to understand and identify with the originals. Movies now get “universe” in comic book format is how we lay film work. New normal. So get with the program, ya hard-to-please Treky Boomers. If you watch Badlands with all things considered, you find it deliver...
MovieGuys
January 08, 2026
5/10
"Predator Soy Boy" shows us all that no matter how wimpy you are, the power of diversity, equality and inclusion, is on your side. Biology be damned. Suffice to say, this is a rather ridiculous take on the Predator universe. Weird looking Dik oops I mean Dek, is the wussiest of the predators. Dad who dresses like a demonic deer, wants to croak Dek, for this very reason. Of course, he could have done so in infancy, as the Spartans did, if this is the kind of society they inhabit. Anyway for no...

daniel_carr
January 27, 2026
6/10
I thought it was a great idea, telling the story of the Predators and their culture! In fact I was hoping for more of that from when "Predators" came out. Loved how they tied it in with the "Alien" franchise also loved that when they first did it with AVP. But there were a few niggles that killed it for me. Firstly, reading subtitles for too long that really isn't necessary especially when they had a synthetic speaking English anyway, like hello. The idea of Predator has always been the hunt is ...
Sejian
February 01, 2026
8/10
"What time is it? It's !@#$% r@ping time!" Wrong movie in the franchise, I know, but I can't help it. I like me some Walton Goggins! I really like this movie for finally giving us a different perspective. I was concerned that this movie would irritate me after Prey (2022)'s ending irritated me, but I was pleasantly surprised, and I am now looking forward to the next entry from this director. I hope he doesn't !@#$ it up somehow. **MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD:** Dek, Thia, and Bud, join D...

Dean
February 15, 2026
10/10
Predator: Badlands is a masterclass in subverting expectations while staying fiercely loyal to the primal roots of the franchise. By shifting the narrative lens directly onto the Predator, the film achieves a level of intimacy and world-building we have never experienced in previous installments. It is a bold, visionary move that transforms the iconic hunter from a mere slasher-movie monster into a complex, nuanced protagonist. The storytelling is exceptionally tight, managing to balance the bru...

GenerationofSwine
February 18, 2026
1/10
LOL...I mean, serously. What is the term the braindead woke zombie goose stepping morons use everytime they trash an IP? Subverting expectations? Something like that? Well, they did it again. Once more they subverted audiance expetations by making a predator movie that's not a predator movie, which, honestly, isn't very shocking. The last thing Hollywood wants to do at the moment is give the audiance what they want and deliver a Predator movie when they pay to see a Predator movie. But, ...

Sierbahnn
June 01, 2026
7/10
This is how you build That Predator and Alien are part of the same shared universe is a thing since the Dark Horse Comics books in the 90s, and there have been mentions here and there, but this is the first time we see how this integration of two intellectual properties can synergize well. The story is decidedly predator-focused, with the "human" element mostly there as a point of view, but the vision is realized well, the effects, shot-composition, sound and directing works well, and the ov...
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Frequently Asked Questions
Predator: Badlands was released in 2025.
Predator: Badlands has a runtime of 1 hr 47 min (107 minutes).
Predator: Badlands belongs to the following genres: Action, Science Fiction, Adventure.
Predator: Badlands has a rating of 7.8/10 from 3,129 votes on TMDB.
In the United States, Predator: Badlands is available to watch on: Hulu, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.