The Predator franchise has made a roaring comeback in the last few years – largely thanks to the efforts of filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, who surprised everyone with his Predator prequel film Prey in 2022. From there, Trachtenberg has been slowly but surely rolling out an entirely new Predator universe, which has officially continued this year with two new releases: the Predator: Killer of Killers animated anthology on Hulu, and the upcoming theatrical release Predator: Badlands, which is about to set a major milestone for the franchise.
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For the first time ever, a member of the Predator species (the “Yautja”) will be the protagonist of the film. Badlands will follow a young hunter named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who is put through the deadly ritual of hunting down a seemingly unkillable beast, on a fearsome planet, to prove his honor. Dek happens upon the wreckage of a spaceship (owned by Alien‘s infamous megacorporation Weyland-Yutani) and the torso of an android named Thia (Elle Fanning). The unlikely pair form a sort of a “brains and brawn” bond as they seek to win Dek his prize and leave the cursed world – and San Diego Comic-Con 2025 was the perfect place to left fans know (and see) more about what’s coming with Predator: Badlands.
Here’s what ComicBook’s Spencer Perry saw, in his own words (NOTE: we’ve converted the live blog notes into a full transcript for greater clarity).
Predator: Badlands Comic-Con 2025 Footage Description
There’s a desolate desert planet in the distance. A Predator drives a hover ship (like the cycles seen in Killer of Killers). It’s revealed that Dek, the lead Predator character, is piloting it. He uses an energy grappling hook to get up to a cave where it becomes clear what he’s looking for: his brother, Kwei. They have a prolonged sword fight, jumping around on the pieces of the cave, and having an extended discussion about honor. Kwei gets the upper hand on Dek and seemingly sends him falling to his doom. However, Dek catches himself and climbs back up, where it’s revealed that his brother has a clear fondness for him that he can’t always show. The pair leaves the cave and goes to Kwei’s ship. They have a bonding moment over something from their childhood: Dek used a toy to save Kwei and broke his tusk in the process, but Kwei kept the toy to remember.
Kwei tells his brother it’s time for him to take his vow, pick his prey, hunt them, and return. Dek decides on a planet with a beast that even their father fears. As they’re planning Dek’s journey, another cycle approaches, carrying their dad, the chieftain of their clan. Their father chastises Kwei for not killing his brother, noting that Dek is the runt of the clan and can only bring them honor in death. Kwei says he deserves the chance to hunt, but their father forces restraints on Dek and tells Kwei to kill him. Rather than swing his sword at his brother, though, Kwei swings it down and frees him, activating the grappling hook and sending his brother back onto the ship.
Kwei begins to activate the ship using his wrist computer, but his father takes action due to his betrayal. Kewi and the chieftain have a sword fight of their own, while Dek watches helplessly inside the ship. Their father gets the upper hand and slices off Kwei’s arm, kicking him to the ground. Kwei has a choice: go for his own sword to defend himself or grab his severed arm… as his father lifts his head to strike the killing blow, Kwei holds his arm in his other hand and activates the ship. Inside Dek flies back as the launch sequence is initiated, sending him off to the plant to face the beast and earn his place in the clan.
This description matches what we heard early on from some of the first promotional showings of Predator: Badlands footage at other conventions and venues. The difference now? There’s a full trailer for the film that fans not attending SDCC2025 can watch and get hyped over. This description above makes it seem like Predator: Badlands will waste no time getting into the dark heart of its story, with Shakespearean levels of Yautja drama that already foreshadow that the ultimate prey Dek will ultimately have to hunt is his own father. And what will it mean for the Yautja if the “runt” becomes their greatest warrior?
Predator: Badlands will be in theaters on November 7th. Stay tuned to more of ComicBook’s Comic-Con Coverage.
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Image Courtesy of TOHO
