Predator: Badlands - Can the Challenge to Shape the Future Succeed? (+Post-Credits Scene)

The ultimate hunter has sneaked into theaters. No, this time the situation is different. Instead of being the best hunter, it has become the best prey. The movie 〈Predator: Badlands〉 is the latest installment in the 〈Predator〉 series that has been ongoing since 1987. The Predator, which has mostly been depicted as humanity's enemy and occasionally as an ally, takes the lead role for the first time in this film. What kind of story will this movie tell to showcase a new side of the Predator? Here’s a preview of 〈Predator: Badlands〉 after a sneak peek.

The Predator. In the series' universe, this species, known as 'Yautja', is a fierce hunter. With cloaking technology, various weapons, and tactics using the terrain, once they set their sights on prey, they never miss. The protagonist of this film, Deck (Dimitrius Shuster-Koloamatangi), also opens the story with a fierce appearance, as expected of a Yautja. However, he is actually a Yautja with recessive traits, which puts him in a life-threatening situation within his tribe. Even at the hands of his father, the tribe leader. However, thanks to the sacrifice of his close friend Quey, Deck manages to escape to the planet Genna, which is said to be the most dangerous in the universe, and aims to hunt the 'immortal being' Calistus to redeem himself to his tribe. While searching for Calistus, a half-destroyed synthetic human named Tia (Elle Fanning) offers to help him.

〈Predator: Badlands〉 made a bold choice. It features a protagonist without the iconic mask of the Predator, showcasing his bare face, which (those familiar with the series will know) is not a face that is typically likable. As a result, there may be a slight sense of distance when Deck appears fully without his mask, but this also gives him a human side that encourages immersion. The fact that he has been abandoned by his tribe and is trying to redeem himself adds to the intrigue of Deck's journey, especially since he is not yet a skilled hunter and makes mistakes from time to time.

The ambition of 〈Predator: Badlands〉 is evident in Deck's journey. It aims to reconstruct 〈Predator〉 into a more modern franchise. In the same universe, 〈Prey〉 (2022) and 〈Predator: Killer of Killers〉 (2025) still depict the Predator as an enemy and an incomprehensible warrior. However, by making Deck, who gradually grows throughout the film, the protagonist, it broadens the scope for the Predator species to be utilized in various ways in the future. Although this may conflict with the existing image of the 'ultimate hunter', which could lead to backlash from fans, it was necessary to move beyond the categories of 'ultimate enemy' (main series) and 'ultimate ally' (AVP series) for the series to look forward. Watching 〈Predator: Badlands〉, one can see that the production team understands this aspect well and confirms that they have taken the first step with this film.

In particular, the depiction of the Yautja in this work is impressive, especially when contrasted with the previous work 〈Predator: Killer of Killers〉. In the previous animated film, four Yautja appeared, all expressed with overly intuitive aggression, which was somewhat disappointing. In that regard, Deck's portrayal in 〈Predator: Badlands〉, although inexperienced, allows us to glimpse the growth and personality of the Yautja, which is satisfying.

Adding to the viewing pleasure is Elle Fanning as Tia. The synthetic human Tia, despite only having her upper body left after being attacked by Calistus, continuously chats and serves as the lubricant of the film. True to the Yautja's nature of not forming bonds, Deck treats Tia as a tool, yet their relationship evolves into a strong partnership, which is intriguing. To give a very slight spoiler, Elle Fanning also plays another synthetic human of the same model as Tia in this film, and the contrast here is impressive. If you are a fan of Elle Fanning, you should definitely watch 〈Predator: Badlands〉.

However, 〈Predator: Badlands〉 is clearly both an advantage and a disadvantage as a project that opens the door to future franchises. As it aims for a certain level of commercial success, it shows signs of trying to cater to the public's taste, which leads to a considerable sense of déjà vu. Although it is undoubtedly a new installment in the 〈Predator〉 series, what comes to mind instead are classic SF genres like 〈Jurassic World〉 or 〈Planet of the Apes〉. The companionship of a giant protector and a fragile being evokes recent buddy movie trends. Moreover, with the appearance of Weyland-Yutani and the theme of 'identical entities with different personalities', it subtly hints at 〈Prometheus〉 and 〈Alien〉. The quality of the film is by no means low, but if you expect a fresh 〈Predator〉 installment, it is likely to score low on creativity.

On the other hand, the music enhances the film's atmosphere. The music for this film, created by Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch, features intense sounds including music from the Mongolian band The HU, which highlights the theme of the Yautja, while the rest is filled with sharp industrial music. This contrast emphasizes the disparity between the somewhat rough Yautja and the pinnacle of scientific advancement, the synthetic human. Furthermore, as the film does not feature humans, the struggles of each creature and the battles with Weyland-Yutani's synthetic humans further emphasize destruction, successfully delivering an exhilarating action experience. 〈Predator: Badlands〉 has no rough edges. The aforementioned sense of déjà vu and the shift in the series' direction seem to be the biggest hurdles.

〈Predator: Badlands〉 will be released in South Korea on November 5. Once a series that nearly had its heartbeat stop, it has been revived in theaters after passing through OTT platforms. Can the 〈Predator〉 series survive longer than ever with this film? If you're curious, join Deck the Yautja and synthetic human Tina on their survival journey on the planet Genna.

+ There is one post-credits scene right after the ending title.