New Trailer Drops for Predator: Badlands – A World of Hurt is Ahead

A brand-new trailer for Predator: Badlands is out now, giving fans a first look at the latest chapter in the Predator saga.

This new sci-fi action film, coming from 20th Century Studios, is set to hit theaters on November 7, 2025. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the movie stars Elle Fanning and newcomer Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

Set far in the future, Predator: Badlands takes place on a distant planet. The story follows Dek, a young Predator played by Schuster-Koloamatangi, who has been kicked out of his clan for being too small. Left to survive on his own, he ends up teaming up with Thia, an android created by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Thia is played by Elle Fanning. Together, Dek and Thia go on a dangerous journey to find what’s called the ultimate adversary.

Director Dan Trachtenberg, known for his work on Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, says the movie pulls inspiration from artists like Frank Frazetta and filmmakers like Terrence Malick. He also mentioned classic films like Shane and Mad Max 2 as influences, along with the video game Shadow of the Colossus.

According to Trachtenberg, “we wanted this to feel like a wild mix of a Western and a survival adventure, with a lot of heart.”

One of the biggest changes in this movie is who the main character is. Instead of humans fighting Predators, this time the Predator itself is the hero of the story. Dek is not like the other Predators we’ve seen before.

He’s smaller, weaker, and more emotional. The filmmakers created a new written and spoken language for the Predator species just for this movie. Linguist Paul Frommer, who created the Naʼvi language for Avatar, worked on building the Predator language. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi had to learn this language to play Dek properly.

Studio Gillis designed a practical creature suit for Dek, with his face brought to life through digital effects and motion capture to show emotions better. Wētā Workshop also worked on the movie’s practical effects and creature designs.

The movie’s story leans more into the Predator culture than previous films, focusing on their world and traditions. Producer John Davis said the film is “a self-contained story, something fresh that still feels like classic Predator.”

Along with a new trailer, new poster was also released:

Filming took place in New Zealand starting in late August 2024, under the fake name “Backpack.” Shooting wrapped in October that same year. Cinematographer Jeff Cutter, who worked on Prey, handled the camera work for Badlands as well.

The Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien movies will also appear in Predator: Badlands, connecting it loosely to the larger universe.

Predator: Badlands will be the seventh film in the main series and the ninth in the overall Predator franchise. Fans can watch the trailer now and get ready for the movie’s release this November.

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