Movie · 2025 · Action, Science Fiction, Adventure · 1h 47m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 5.1/10 (656.7K ratings)
First hunt. Last chance.
Overview
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.1/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.49/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Metacritic: 71
TMDB: 7.8/10
Director
Dan Trachtenberg
Production
20th Century Studios, Lawrence Gordon Productions, Davis Entertainment, Toberoff Productions, TSG Entertainment
Cast
Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Ravi Narayan, Michael Homick, Stefan Grube, Reuben De Jong, Cameron Brown, Alison Wright, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Where to watch
Hulu
Curator Review
Verdict
A strong, crowd-pleasing franchise entry that leans into survival adventure, creature spectacle, and an unexpected buddy dynamic. It sounds less like a pure slasher-hunt sequel and more like a character-driven sci-fi quest with enough action and worldbuilding to satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers.
Best for
Viewers who like action sci-fi with creature design and practical spectacle
Fans of odd-couple partnerships and found-family dynamics
Audiences open to a more emotional, adventure-forward franchise sequel
People who enjoyed sleek, high-concept genre filmmaking with a pulpy edge
Skip if
You want the franchise at its most stripped-down, relentless hunt mode
You dislike CG-heavy creature action or stylized sci-fi worldbuilding
You prefer grounded realism over comic-book scale genre storytelling
You are looking for a standalone drama rather than a franchise adventure
Overview
Predator: Badlands looks like the rare franchise expansion that understands the appeal of the monster while also giving it a new emotional engine. The premise of a cast-out Predator teaming with a damaged android suggests a road movie in hostile territory, with enough creature-feature invention to keep the action from feeling routine.
Worth noting
The response around it points to a movie that is less interested in repeating old formulas than in remixing them into something more playful and surprisingly sincere. Even when the visuals feel a little flat, the film seems to win people over with momentum, creature mayhem, and a genuinely entertaining central pairing.
Bottom line
For viewers who want a big studio sci-fi action movie with personality, this sounds like a solid bet. It may not be the franchise’s most brutal or minimalist chapter, but it appears to be one of the more imaginative and accessible ones.
Top Letterboxd reviews
zoë rose bryant (4★) · 7978 likes
every movie would be better with two elle fannings
jonathan fujii (3.5★) · 6861 likes
Dan Trachtenberg knows how to make a good predator
Edit: probably could’ve worded that better
𝐉 (4★) · 6656 likes
best documentary on AUSTRALIA since Mad Max: Fury Road
Joel (4★) · 5049 likes
Easily one of the best episodes of The Mandalorian
davidehrlich (3.5★) · 4778 likes
Dan Trachtenberg loves the Predator more than most people love their own children, but that doesn’t quite explain why his “Predator” movies — of which there are suddenly now three — continue to be so much better than all of the series’ previous sequels, spinoffs, and reboots (let alone most of the IP-driven garbage that Hollywood churns out on the regular). No, Trachtenberg’s “Predator” movies are so uncommonly satisfying because his love for the franchise’s extraterrestrial trophy hunters allows him… more Dan Trachtenberg loves the Predator more than most people love their own children, but that doesn’t quite explain why his “Predator” movies — of which there are suddenly now three — continue to be so much better than all of the series’ previous sequels, spinoffs, and reboots (let alone most of the IP-driven garbage that Hollywood churns out on the regular). No, Trachtenberg’s “Predator” movies are so uncommonly satisfying because his love for the franchise’s extraterrestrial trophy hunters allows him… more
1994 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction · 2h 1m · PG-13 · Curator 3.2/10 (100.6K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A pulpy expedition adventure that mixes ancient-myth scale with sci-fi discovery.