Predator Becomes Prey in Explosive ‘Predator: Badlands’ Trailer

Predator fans, prepare for a seismic shift in the hunt. The teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands has landed, and with it comes a first look at what might be the most radical reimagining of the franchise since its inception. Directed by Prey helmer Dan Trachtenberg, Badlands introduces a young outcast Predator and an android ally in a story set far from Earth and even further from the series’ traditional roots.

The trailer, though brief, is packed with clues and jaw-dropping imagery. A trophy room shot filled with skulls—some distinctly non-human—gives way to glimpses of a desert-like alien world, brutal training rituals and Elle Fanning’s android character Thia, who appears to have ties to the infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation. While no one involved has confirmed the connection, the appearance of the company’s unmistakable logo in her eyes and uniform has sent the rumour mill into overdrive.

Set in the distant future, the film follows Dek, a young Predator played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who has been exiled from his clan. On a desolate planet, he crosses paths with Thia and the pair form a tense but growing alliance. The official synopsis hints at a journey in pursuit of “the ultimate adversary” but stops short of confirming exactly what that is. The trailer, however, offers a tantalising glimpse of what might be coming—a towering, monstrous silhouette facing off against Dek, followed by his scream, a rare and emotionally charged moment for the usually stoic alien.

Fans have praised the move to centre the Predator as a protagonist, an idea long flirted with but rarely executed in the franchise’s history. This switch in perspective is already being hailed as a revitalising force for a series that has often struggled to evolve beyond its jungle-stalking origins.

Fueling the speculation further is the heavy use of visual callbacks to the Alien series, including the aforementioned Weyland-Yutani imagery. It’s not the first time the franchises have flirted with shared universe potential, Predator 2 famously featured a Xenomorph skull in a trophy case, but Badlands looks to be inching closer than ever to another full-blown crossover. Given that 20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell recently stated that a new Alien and Predator crossover would “probably” happen, fans are now wondering if Badlands is laying the groundwork.

Adding to the growing excitement is the upcoming Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology also directed by Trachtenberg and set to hit Hulu on 6 June. With Badlands slated for release in cinemas and IMAX on 7 November, 2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for the Predator franchise.

This time, the hunter is the hero. And judging by the trailer’s cryptic taglines and loaded visuals, Predator: Badlands may be hunting something much bigger than prey. It could be hunting history.

Predator: Badlands premieres November 7, 2025, in theaters, including IMAX.

Predator: Badlands trailer