Predator: Badlands is the ninth film in the Predator franchise, directed by Dan Trachtenberg and released in theaters on November 7, 2025. In the boldest twist the series has ever attempted, the hunter takes center stage: for the first time ever, a Predator is the hero of the story.
The film stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek, a young outcast Yautja fighting to prove himself, alongside Elle Fanning as Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic. Together they form an uneasy alliance on a brutal, far-off world — and their partnership quietly ties the Predator saga to the Alien universe.
Release Date & Cast
Title: Predator: Badlands
Release Date: November 7, 2025 — theatrical exclusive (IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, 4DX, ScreenX)
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Story: Dan Trachtenberg + Patrick Aison
Cast: Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek; Elle Fanning as Thia
Producers: John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, Brent O’Connor
Banner: 20th Century Studios / Disney
Plot
Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, Predator: Badlands follows Dek, a young outcast Yautja who crash-lands far from home. To earn his place among his clan, he must do the one thing his kind respects most: track down and kill an apex predator.
Outmatched and alone, Dek crosses paths with Thia, a synthetic built by the Weyland-Yutani corporation — the same company at the heart of the Alien films. The two strike a fragile alliance, and the hunt that follows forces both of them to question what survival is really worth.
This is the first Predator film told from the hunter’s side, with the Yautja as its protagonist rather than its monster. It is also Dan Trachtenberg’s third Predator film in a row — following Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers — and his first one to open in theaters.
Music & Soundtrack
The score for Predator: Badlands is jointly composed by Sarah Schachner — the Emmy-nominated composer of Prey, also known for the Grammy-nominated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II soundtrack — and Benjamin Wallfisch, whose credits include Alien: Romulus, It and The Flash. The composing duo was announced in October 2025.
The official soundtrack album, “Predator: Badlands (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack),” released on November 7, 2025 via Hollywood Records. The 27-track album includes “Yautja Prime,” “Badlands,” “Let’s Go Hunt” and the end-credits piece “Yautja Prayer.” It was recorded at Trackdown Studios in Sydney with the Sydney Scoring Orchestra.
For the score’s signature sound, the composers built a “Yautja choir” out of vocalizations performed in a fictional Yautja tongue, processed through vocoders. Trachtenberg deliberately chose not to reuse Alan Silvestri’s original Predator themes, giving Badlands a musical identity of its own.
Watch the Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Predator: Badlands released?
Predator: Badlands released theatrically on November 7, 2025, in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, 4DX and ScreenX formats.
Who stars in Predator: Badlands?
The film stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek, a young Yautja outcast, and Elle Fanning as Thia, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic.
Who composed the music and soundtrack?
The score was jointly composed by Sarah Schachner (Prey) and Benjamin Wallfisch (Alien: Romulus). The 27-track soundtrack album released on November 7, 2025 via Hollywood Records.
How does Predator: Badlands connect to the Predator franchise?
It is the ninth installment of the Predator series and the first to feature the hunter as its hero — a first for the franchise.
If you enjoy big franchise films, you may also like our posts on the Avengers: Doomsday (2026) movie, the Dune Part Three (2026) movie and the Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) movie for more release-date and soundtrack coverage.
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