Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands, directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 2022), reinvents the classic sci-fi action series by placing a Predator (Yautja) at the heart of the story rather than making it the monster to be hunted. Set in a distant future on a harsh alien world known simply as the Badlands, the film expands the Predator mythos while exploring honor, survival, and redemption.
The story follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young outcast Predator who has been shunned by his clan for being “too human.” Considered weak and undisciplined, he lives in exile on a hostile planet where rival tribes and deadly alien creatures constantly fight for dominance. Determined to reclaim his honor, Dek sets out on a solitary quest to hunt the most dangerous being in the galaxy—an act that will either earn him redemption or end his life.
His path crosses with Thia (Elle Fanning), a damaged synthetic human created by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, who has crash-landed on the planet after a failed scientific expedition. Thia’s mission was to harvest genetic material from the Yautja species, but now, stranded and hunted by both her company’s mercenaries and hostile Predators, she must rely on Dek to survive.
At first distrustful of one another, Dek and Thia form an uneasy alliance as they traverse the Badlands’ deadly terrain—vast deserts, acid storms, and bioluminescent forests filled with lethal alien fauna. Together, they uncover a hidden conspiracy: a group of rogue Predators experimenting with hybrid weaponization, blending human and Yautja DNA to create the ultimate hunter.
The climax unfolds in an ancient Predator temple buried beneath the planet’s surface, where Dek faces not only the hybrid creature but also his own people, who view him as a traitor. In a fierce final battle, Dek proves his worth—not by embracing savagery, but by protecting Thia and choosing mercy over vengeance. His act redefines the meaning of honor among the Yautja and hints at a new chapter in their evolution.
As the dust settles, Thia transmits data about the Predator world back to Weyland-Yutani, setting the stage for future conflict between humanity and the Yautja species.
