URGENT UPDATE: Director Dan Trachtenberg confirms that the highly anticipated film Predator: Badlands is set in the distant future, marking a bold move within the Predator and Alien franchises. This decision allows the film to carve out its own narrative space without conflicting with existing projects like Alien: Romulus.
In a recent interview with Variety, Trachtenberg explained that the setting, which features a Yautja named Dek and a synthetic character named Thia, was designed to be “the furthest into the future” within both franchises. He stated, “I wanted to make sure we were doing our own thing.” The film, which releases on November 5, 2025, is already generating buzz with its unique timeline, which extends beyond Alien: Resurrection.
The new film has already made waves at the box office, achieving the Predator franchise’s best-ever domestic opening with a staggering $40 million and a global debut of $80 million. This impressive opening weekend has allowed Badlands to surpass the total earnings of Predator 2, which grossed $54.8 million worldwide. It is now quickly closing in on the original Predator, which earned $98.3 million globally.
Critics and audiences are responding positively, as seen by its “Certified Fresh” status with a remarkable 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans are eager to see how this fresh timeline impacts the storied franchises, and the film’s ending hints at potential sequels for Dek and Thia.
Despite the excitement surrounding Alien: Earth and the possibility of a Romulus sequel, Trachtenberg assures fans that these projects will not interfere with Predator: Badlands. His commitment to exploring uncharted territories within the franchise has opened new possibilities for storytelling.
Stay tuned for more updates as the release date approaches, and keep an eye out for news on potential sequels that could expand the universe of both franchises even further. Fans are buzzing with anticipation, eager to dive into this new chapter of the Predator saga.
