Predator: Badlands Trailer Promises Intense Action and Unexpected Teamwork
When you hear that a new Predator movie is coming, most fans probably expect the traditional man-vs-alien showdown. But the official trailer for Predator: Badlands flips that formula inside out. This time, Elle Fanning is front and center as Thia, forging a tense alliance with a young Predator outcast—and both are after something even deadlier than themselves.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who already rebooted the franchise with the critically acclaimed 'Prey,' the film launches viewers into an uncertain future on a remote planet. The setting is all dust storms, harsh landscapes, and shadowy threats lurking in the wild. But this isn’t just about surviving an alien hunting ground. The trailer hammers home one idea: "You're not the predator. You're the prey." That means even nightmares have something to fear.
Elle Fanning hasn’t tackled a role quite like this before. In the preview, she’s all grit and nerves, negotiating a fragile partnership with Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s Predator outcast. Unlike the usual silent, fearsome hunter, this Predator is wounded—cast out from his people and desperate for redemption. Together, they’re not just fighting for survival; they’re aiming to bring down a creature the trailer teases as “the definitive apex predator,” a beast that, according to the dialogue, just “can’t be killed.” No pressure, right?
A Fresh Direction and High Stakes for the Predator Franchise
The tension in the trailer hits hard with tight, claustrophobic shots and fierce exchanges. The two unlikely partners don’t trust easily—and honestly, could you blame them? Every scene is thick with suspicion and the uneasy sense that something is always watching. And as the trailer’s ominous voiceover puts it, “We might not be alone in this hunt.”
This isn’t just about monster mayhem. Trachtenberg seems to be aiming for something a little deeper: what happens when the line between hunter and hunted starts to blur? Fanning’s Thia looks sharp, battle-worn and constantly calculating, while the young Predator brings a raw, unpredictable energy. Neither is painted as purely heroic or villainous—there’s real gray area, giving more emotional heft to the violence and spectacle.
The production team brings serious pedigree, with John Davis, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor, all lined up behind the scenes to keep this outing running hot. After years of mixed sequels and reboots, there’s real interest to see how audiences respond to a Predator story where humans and alien hunters are both out of their element, facing down an enemy that redefines “unstoppable.”
'Predator: Badlands' is set to hit theaters and IMAX screens worldwide on November 7, 2025. For sci-fi and action fans, and anyone who wants to see Fanning step into an entirely new genre, this is one to keep on your radar. The trailer’s jolts and cryptic hints have already kicked up plenty of buzz—and if it delivers on its promises, Predator fans might be in for the wildest hunt yet.