Predator: Badlands Turns Predator into the Story’s Hero

It’s not often that we get a new live-action Predator film in theaters, let alone one that makes the iconic alien monster the hero of the story. But today, 20th Century Studios has debuted the first teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands, and it hints at the film offering fans of the series something new and unexpected from the sci-fi monster.

The film follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Predator who has been exiled from his people. Rather than being the typical emotionless hunter, he is the hero of the story and is shown teaming up with a Weyland-Yutani android named Thia (Elle Fanning). The pair is set to battle “the ultimate adversary,” an “unkillable” monster, they never saw coming.” In the trailer, the new monster is only glimpsed briefly, but it looks like a massive creature unlike any other Predator or Alien fan has ever seen.

Exploring the Wider Predator Universe

Badlands will have its own, contained story, but it is also part of the Predator/Alien shared universe. Many of the rumors and leaks from earlier in the year have already suggested that the film will be doing some major worldbuilding, with at least part of the action taking place on the Predator’s home world, which the films have only ever teased in the past. The trailer shows brief flashes of alien worldscapes and thriving Predator cities, as well as several Predators of different designs and body types standing in tense standoffs or locked in battle.

Dan Trachtenberg, who directed 2022’s well-received Prey, is back as director for Badland and is co-writing with Ryan Schiefer. Prey went back to basics, stripping the film back to a simple, tightly wound survivalist face-off in 18th-century America. Trachtenberg appears ready to do the opposite for Badlands, delving into the world of Predator tradition, language, and hierarchy. If the clips are any indication, fans can expect to learn more about the Yautja way of life — and may even get an expanded origin story for the franchise’s signature tech weapons and savage rituals.

Fanning’s android Thia has also been getting attention from the trailer. Her movements are robotic but graceful, with an unsettling perfection to the precision of her movements and the emotionless tone of her dialogue, softened only by moments of curiosity and empathy. The film is the first in the Predator series to pair the titular aliens so closely with a human-created android, and the Weyland-Yutani corporation should also appeal to Alien fans who enjoy catching lore crossovers.

The Team Behind the Screen

Trachtenberg’s return is one of the more exciting aspects of the film, however. Prey not only earned critical acclaim for reinvigorating the franchise but also managed to find an audience on Hulu and cultivate strong word-of-mouth for the film. Bringing the director back not only signals confidence from 20th Century Studios in his vision but also a trust in his ability to give established sci-fi franchises a respectful but fresh take.

Trachtenberg isn’t the only Predator project that fans can expect to see from the director, either. Predator: Killer of Killers, a new Predator anthology animated series from Trachtenberg, is set to be released on Hulu (the same streaming service that distributed Prey) on June 6. The series will take a different approach to the characters and concept, telling stories of different Predator hunts in different times and places.

Teaser Insights

As with most teasers, the first clip for Predator: Badlands doesn’t reveal major plot points or twists, but instead leaves plenty for the audience to pick over. There are high-stakes shots of Predators in ceremonial armor fighting each other, Dek stalking around in unknown territory, Thia swinging high-tech guns, and brief shadowy glimpses of the “unkillable” new monster. The alien worldbuilding shown in the trailer looks lavish and otherworldly, and gives an idea of how big the film is.

Crucially, the first teaser for Badlands also helps set it apart from previous films in the franchise. The simple switch in perspective from humans or other species to a Predator cast as the protagonist upsets the usual formula, nd has the potential to lead to more interesting character development and moral complexity. Should Dek’s character arc involve seeking redemption or proving his honor to his people, then audiences might even find themselves cheering for a Predator.

Release Window and Future Trailers

The film will open in theaters on November 7, one of the major sci-fi/action films coming to a close in one year. Fans will no doubt be expecting several trailers before then, which will likely tease out further details of the plot, introduce some of the larger set pieces, and perhaps give audiences more of a look at the new monster.

For now, though, the first teaser does exactly what it needs to do: raise the excitement of old fans, generate interest from newcomers, and set the stage for what looks to be a Predator film unlike anything before it. With the right direction from Trachtenberg, a strong leading duo, and the potential to expand and explore deep lore, Badlands could be the breath of fresh air the series has been looking for.

Whether audiences are on the side of Dek and his fight for survival or just there for the spectacle of Predators fighting monsters, this November’s hunt is shaping up to be a fun one.