Predator: Badlands is mixing things up by changing the core Predator design, and a new fan theory posits a reason why the titular creature looks so different. On Reddit, user ChronoRebel hypothesized that the film’s main Predator is essentially meant to be portrayed as a “runt of the litter,” which is why he’s unique when compared to the Predators fans are used to. The theory suggests the main Yautja in Badlands, named Dek, is on a mission to prove his worth by taking down an intimidating foe that’s very difficult to kill, giving the movie an “underdog” vibe.
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“My point is, maybe the Badlands Predator is *supposed* to look weirdly feeble and unimpressive for a Yautja, because he’s supposed to be a ‘runt of the litter’/’ugly duckling,’ born not as naturally physically gifted as his peers,” ChronoRebel wrote. “It might also explain his motivations for attempting to hunt ‘something that can’t be killed,’ as the teaser says: to prove himself.”
In previous Predator films, the Yautja was an antagonist hunting a group of humans. Predator: Badlands changes the formula by making the main Yautja the protagonist. In the movie, he teams up with Elle Fanning’s character, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic, to accomplish his task. Director Dan Trachtenberg said he was intrigued by the concept of making the audience root for the Predator, crafting a character who’s “still badass” but allows viewers to emotionally connect with his journey.
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Predator: Badlands is set to hit theaters on November 7th. The movie’s teaser trailer was released back in April, teasing fans with a general overview of the premise. Viewers had mixed reactions to the new design of the Yautja, with some people calling the new look “hilarious” and “very off.” Others pointed out that Dek is supposed to be a youngster, which explains his different appearance.
It would make a lot of sense if Dek is supposed to be the runt of his tribe. If he is going to be the protagonist of Badlands, audiences need to be on his side. The easy way to do that is to have Dek be an underdog, putting him at a disadvantage against the film’s villains. Viewers love to cheer on characters who are trying to overcome some sort of adversity, making their eventual triumph all the more satisfying. Watching Dek come into his own and develop his Predator skills in intense action sequences should put a fun spin on established franchise tropes. Trachtenberg gave the Predator series a shot in the arm with 2022’s Prey, proving he has a good read on what works in this sandbox. Badlands has potential to be another entertaining installment.
The Predator franchise has been around for nearly 40 years, and whenever a property has endured for that long, reinvention is key to continued success. If the new Predator films coming out were just riffs on the 1987 original and didn’t bring anything new to the table, the series would get stale very quickly. Similar to how Predator: Killer of Killers mixed things up by using an anthology format to show the Predator hunting across different time periods, Predator: Badlands is doing something new and exciting with the premise. It’s a risk that could potentially backfire, but Trachtenberg has established himself as a go-to filmmaker for great Predator movies.
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