The final trailer for Predator: Badlands has landed, and everyone’s been loving how the movie flips the franchise on its head by putting the Yautja in the spotlight, as a character that you’d actually want to root for! The upcoming sci-fi action film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, and it stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.
The saga’s latest entry will introduce us to a young outcast named Dek, from the Yautja clan. He finds an unlikely ally in Fanning’s character, who appears as a Weyland-Yutani synth and plays a dual role. The trailer is packed with some brutal and interesting scenes, so let’s break it all down!
How Predator: Badlands’ Final Trailer Puts the Yautja in a Heroic Spotlight
The new trailer of Predator: Badlands opens with Dek crash-landing in a pod on a planet dubbed the most dangerous one. Then we get some sweeping shots of the alien landscapes, its forests, and a glimpse at a few of its monsters.
One of them seems to be a tree-dwelling creature, another is a stomping elephant-like beast, and finally, a massive flying predator that resembles a dragon. While we’re introduced to the world, the voiceover makes it clear that everything “in this world is trying to kill you.”
Surprisingly, it cuts to Dek carrying Elle Fanning’s half-butchered Thia on his back and swinging through the trees. It’s amazing how the narrative positions him because traditionally, we’ve only seen Yautja as ruthless hunters and monsters, but Dek’s arc is different.
We also see Fanning’s Tessa appear with soldiers, hinting at a confrontation between synths and Yautjas. The action sequences ramp up fast, with swordfights, a huge spikey creature running towards Dek, as the two face off and roar at each other.
Dek is wielding a glowing red energy, and we wonder how his powers tie into the lore. This is the kind of pulse-pounding trailer that promises the movie will certainly delve into blockbuster territory. The world-building would remind you of James Cameron’s Pandora in Avatar, but a lot more gritty and gruesome!
With that said, the tonal shift is truly refreshing, and people have been loving how unapologetically bigger and brasher everything looks! So, what do you think about Dek, a Yautja, stepping into the role of a hero? Does it make the narrative more interesting for you?
Predator: Badlands is set to release in theaters on November 7, 2025 (USA).
