Forget everything you knew about Predators being the villains, Predator: Badlands flips the script entirely. In director Dan Trachtenberg’s latest vision, a young Yautja hunter named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster‑Koloamatangi) steps into the spotlight not as the enemy, but as the main hero alongside Elle Fanning’s android, Thia.
Unlikely Alliances on a Savage World
Set on a distant, future planet, the trailer paints a brutal environment—monster‑infested jungles, lethal tendrils, fierce sky beasts and even “man‑eating trees.” Amid the chaos, Dek and Thia forge an uneasy truce. One voice draws us in: “You’re hunting somebody that can’t be killed.”
Deeper Ties to Alien Lore
Eagle‑eyed fans spotted a Weyland‑Yutani logo in the trailer and on Thia—cue conjecture: is she part of the Alien universe? Polygon suggests these elements might build to a full‑blown Alien vs Predator expansion.
Trachtenberg’s Next Leap
After the acclaim of Prey, Trachtenberg is bold again: releasing not one but two Predator projects in 2025. Badlands gets a big‑screen debut November 7 (IMAX and premium formats), and fans are calling this a watershed moment, a “rebirth” for the franchise.
