Badlands—Cast, Plot, Release Date, and Everything Else We Know

The new Predator film is so close, we can almost taste it, and while we’re all excited about its arrival, there’s been very little information about what to expect. The deets have been closely guarded and purposely kept secret for a huge reason. Other than a simple plot synopsis, all we’ve known is who is starring in the lead role—until now. For the first time ever in the franchise, you’ll be asked to sympathize with these mandible-mouthed beasts.

We did a deep dive and found as much as we could about this highly anticipated sci-fi flick, so here’s everything you need to know about Predator: Badlands.

The Plot

Credit: 20th Century Studios

In a nutshell, what you need to know about Badlands’ plot is that it’s turning the hunter into the hunted and the monster into the hero—a major first for the hit franchise. Set in the future, in a time period closer to the Alien films than any mainline Predator entry, our story follows a young Yautja (a.k.a., the predators) named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, of Far North), on the home planet of Yautja Prime. Smaller than the other predators, Dek is cast out of his clan and thus embarks on a journey to prove his worth that leads him to the distant planet of Genna, home of the unkillable beast known as the Kalisk.

As he sets out to find and kill the creature, he stumbles across a legless Weyland-Yutani synthetic named Thia (Elle Fanning), who has been stuck in a nest there, waiting for rescue, after being sent out by another synth named Tessa. Dek and Thia become unlikely allies, and together, they set out on a treacherous hunt for the ultimate adversary. While the story will be told through the eyes of Thia, it will also—through Dek’s eyes—take us to and through the world of hurt that is Kalisk.

Additionally, it looks like Predator: Badlands will offer us a deeper look into Yautja culture by exploring their background and what makes them tick. It also answers the question of why they’re out there, just traveling around to all these planets and killing everyone.

The Cast

Credit: 20th Century Studios

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning are the names you need to know. The big cast secret is that Fanning will be playing two characters. In addition to Thia, she will also play the role of Tessa, the other Wey-Yu synth mentioned above, who stands in opposition to Thia and Dek.

Is Badlands a Sequel to Prey?

The 2022 Hulu/Disney+ hit film Prey, which serves as a prequel to Predator, was an excellent addition to the franchise that drew so much attention that a sequel has officially been confirmed, according to ScreenRant. However, that sequel is not Badlands. The only connection between the two films are the director and producer, Dan Trachtenberg and Ben Rosenblatt.

Is Predator: Badlands an Alien vs. Predator Movie?

Though it does feature Weyland-Yutani and draws from all across the Alien franchise, Predator: Badlands is strictly synths and does not contain a single one of HR Giger’s chest-exploding creations—for that, we highly recommend checking out Alien: Earth. That isn’t to say there won’t be any Alien-centric easter eggs to find in the film, though.

“The backstory is that Weyland-Yutani has sent an all-synth mission onto this planet to pursue the very same beast for their own purposes,” Rosenblatt explained to IGN. “Obviously, the Yautja are interested in honor-killing and proving themselves, and Weyland-Yutani often has a different objective. So that is who [Dek] encounters along the way.”

With Badlands, it seems we’re crawling closer to the long-rumored crossover, not just because Thia has been openly revealed to be a Wey-Yu synth. Large civilian vehicles belonging to the Alien series’ evil corporation and other synth models also appear. Don’t expect too much too fast, though. Trachtenberg is being cautious in this crossover approach, and his work on Badlands is just him dipping his toe in the crossover waters for now.

How Does Badlands Fit Into the Predator Universe?

Credit: 20th Century Studios

Predator: Badlands is a stand-alone film but, according to Rosenblatt, it “takes place after everything that we know from the universe of Alien and Weyland-Yutani and Predator and Alien vs. Predator—all that stuff. This is the farthest out [the series has] gone.”

It’s leaving the rest of the Predator timeline behind to lean heavily on the extended lore elements that were most developed through the video games and comic books, just without all the stuff about Yautjas using their prey’s DNA to become stronger. Rather, Badlands will take its cues from the classic tales of Conan the Barbarian and massive video games like Shadow of the Colossus.

The filmmakers has said they hope to strike a balance with the movie’s tone by mixing in an adventure film with all the cool stuff we love about the Predator films, like exciting sequences full of that deadly action and those intense, serious moments we love. With Badlands, though, expect to be brought inside the characters and form a connection with them, allowing for a deeper understanding of the Predator universe.

Predator: Badlands—Who Is Attached?

Trachtenberg is not only directing Predator: Badlands, but he also co-wrote the script with Prey’s Patrick Aison, Jim Thomas, and John Thomas. Trachtenberg is also producing alongside John Davis, of The Predator, Marc Toberoff (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), Brent O’Connor, of Alien: Romulus, and Ben Rosenblatt.

Prey’s Jeff Cutter will serve as the film’s cinematographer, with Ra Vincent (Thor: Ragnarok) on board as the production designer, as well as art directors Zahra Archer (A Minecraft Movie) and Sam Storey (Avatar: The Way of Water).

Will Badlands Rely Solely on Digital Effects?

Credit: 20th Century Studios

I’m happy to report, it will not. According to IGN, original creature designer Alec Gillis, who has worked on every Predator film since its inception, said the faces in Badlands will be a combo of both digital and practical effects to achieve the best results. Designers will base as much in reality as they can, using CGI to increase and construct the beasts’ world and universe.

The production team has reportedly gone to serious lengths to rely on utilizing practical effects as much as possible, creating replicas of the creatures to feature in different scenes as opposed to something digital, which creates a forced reaction when acting, instead of an authentic one. Even the stunt team went to exhaustive lengths to allow Dek to convincingly carry Thia on his back for most of the film. According to IGN, they built truss towers and spanned slack lines between trees, as well as creating a special kind of chair to rest under Fanning’s hamstrings when she was on her partner’s back. The chair was then attached to a spreader that traveled along the slack line with a counterweight system. So, when you see Dek running, sprinting, jumping, and maneuvering the planetary landscape with grace and ease, now you know how it was made possible.

What Else to Expect From Predator: Badlands

As if everything we’ve already talked about isn’t enough, I’m ecstatic to tell you to expect some super-creative fight sequences. Predator: Badlands will add several legendary encounters, from a major battle between Dek and the hulking Kalisk, to a fight between Dek and his brother while dangling from cave stalactites.

Stunt team coordinator Jacob Tomuri, who previously collaborated on the sequences for George Miller’s Furiosa, wanted to push the envelope with fight choreography, so expect to see the predator do things you’ve never seen them do before, at least on-screen. There’s also more to the weapons than you’d think. There’s a hierarchy to them that the predators use, as you’ll see in scenes with Dek and his older brother. As complex weapons that are both real and practical, they serve as what prop master Matt Cornelias calls “awesome killing machines.”

Credit: 20th Century Studios

You can also expect plenty of blood and violence, but keep in mind we’re not talking human blood. There are no humans in this movie. As far as the violence goes, you’ll see synths, predators, and various other alien monsters violently torn apart, but because they aren’t human, we’re looking at a PG-13-rated flick that feels more like an R-rated movie.

Is There a Trailer for Predator: Badlands?

You bet your gnarly predatorial teeth there’s a trailer—two of ‘em, actually. The first was a teaser trailer released on April 23, 2025, that intrigued and excited us with the franchise’s new direction. The official trailer (below) was released in late July and gave us a much deeper look at our main characters as well as the obstacles they’ll face as an unlikely alliance.

Predator: Badlands Release Date

Predator: Badlands will release exclusively in theaters on Friday, November 7, 2025. The film is also slated to hunt down as many IMAX screens as it can in a better effort to transport you to this new alien world in the distant future.

Will Predator: Badlands Be Available to Stream?

While Trachtenberg’s film will be a theatrical exclusive when it launches in November, it will eventually be available on streaming platforms after its big-screen run. Chances are, you’ll be able to stream the new Predator flick on Hulu/Disney+, but currently, there is no official word on that. I’d say to keep an eye out for a streaming release in early 2026. For now, though, read below.

Predator: Badlands

Release Date

November 7, 2025

Director

Dan Trachtenberg

Writers

Dan Trachtenberg, Patrick Aison, John Thomas, Jim Thomas

Franchise(s)

Predator

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  Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi

  Dek

Where to Stream the Predator Franchise

Can’t wait till November or when it’ll be streaming? Now is the perfect time to get caught up on or revisit the famed Predator franchise with our recommended viewing sequence, all of which you can watch on Hulu.

1. Prey (2022) On the Great Plains in 1719, a young Comanche warrior takes on a Predator threatening her tribe
2. Predator (1987) While in Guatemala on a rescue mission, a U.S. soldier and his team are hunted by an invisible Predator
3. Predator 2 (1990) During a heat wave in Los Angeles, a Predator ramps up a crime wave with a string of gruesome murder
4. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) Parasitic aliens and Predators collide during an Arctic expedition, with humans caught in the middle of their conflict
5. Aliens vs. Predator (2007) The first Alien-Predator hybrid emerges and unleashes the fury as both species bring their war to the American Midwest
6. Predators (2010) Eight killers are stranded on an alien planet where a new breed of Predator hunts them
7. The Predator (2018) A young boy accidentally triggers the genetically upgraded Predators’ return to Earth

Subscription with ads

Yes, $10/month

Live TV

Yes, various plans available

Watch the entire Predator franchise now on Hulu.

And there you have it, fellow sci-fi lovers. Once you finish brushing up on the franchise, stay in the sci-fi zone with these Earth-based movies.