Because we enjoy things that will scare us half to death, Predator-Badlands is an upcoming flick that definitely will keep your spine tingling. Set in the same universe as Alien, we are looking at another story of the gnarly, mysterious, and often violent Yautja creatures that are called predators. This story might be a bit different: a runt predator creature who is cast out of his clan finds an unlikely ally.
Who is in Predator-Badlands?
Right now, we don’t have much information regarding who has been cast. So far, the cast is Elle Fanning playing Thia and New Zealand actor Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi playing Dek, a Yautja.
The upcoming movie is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who is best known for 10 Cloverfield Lane and has directed Prey and the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers. Predator-Badlands is written by Patrick Aison and brothers Jim Thomas and John Thomas. The Thomas Brothers have written multiple films in the Predator franchise.
What Else Happens in Predator-Badlands?
We have seen large space and defense organizations before in both the Alien and Predator realms, so we already know that the character Thia is an android. Weyland-Yutani is responsible for her creation. Companies (a.k.a. shady corporations) like Prodigy and Weyland-Yutani are present in both the Alien and Predator franchises. Interesting – this could be a set-up for another ‘AvP’ type flick.
Fun fact about the language used by Dek in this film: Paul Frommer, a linguist who is also works as a producer, made up the Yautja dialect. He also created Na’vi, the language that was featured in Avatar. The young actor playing Dek, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, was fitted with prosthetics and had mo-cap to assist in the CGI effects for his face.
Predator-Badlands – A Few Final Thoughts
Director Dan Trachtenberg said he wanted to create a disparate take on the Predator franchise. This time, the protagonist is actually a Yautja predator. Trachtenberg explained to Empire:
…there’s something there that touches you emotionally, too. Creating a character you connect with, but are also super-intimidated by, has been challenging. But exciting.
Trachtenberg said that he wanted to “[push] the franchise’s boundaries” and give viewers a chance to “root for a hero we rarely get to root for.”
Predator-Badlands is expected to come out November 7, 2025. We can’t wait to see the special effects, amazing and strange scenery, and a different take on the storyline. We’ll see a whole other side to the Yautja species.
