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Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands

First hunt. Last chance.

2025107 minPG-13Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Dan Trachtenberg
Starring
Elle Fanning

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Predator: Badlands?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Predator: Badlands streaming on Hulu and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Predator: Badlands?

Predator: Badlands earns 6 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Top 10% in Action.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Predator: Badlands worth watching?

Predator: Badlands' Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 725K ratings across 6 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

94th percentile among Action88th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)85th
Approval (how many liked it)87th

72 /100

85th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action84th percentile among 2020s

Critics 71 · Audience 72

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

77% liked it

87th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Action87th percentile among 2020s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Critics 86% · Audience 94%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 25 noms overall

99th percentile

724K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget$105M
Opening weekend$40M
Domestic gross$91M
Worldwide gross$185M

Returned 1.8× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A bold, paradigm-shifting Predator film that prioritizes the creature's perspective and character over traditional hunting—whether that's a triumph or a betrayal.

Fans praised

  • Audacious reinvention: Predator as empathetic protagonist
  • Thrilling, propulsive action and spectacle
  • Strong performances from Fanning and Schuster-Koloamatangi

Detractors panned

  • Subverts franchise identity: lacks menace and tough-guy roots
  • Feels derivative (likened to '65') and tonally askew
  • Pointless plot and forced message

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive80

First Predator protagonist; major paradigm shift

ActingDivisive80

Fanning and Schuster-Koloamatangi's pairing praised as terrific

CharactersDivisive75

Dek's empathy-generating journey and odd-couple dynamic with Thia

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

Creative creature design and well-rendered set pieces

PacingDivisive70

Propulsive, nonstop action in tight runtime

AtmosphereDivisive70

Immersive hostile planet and Predator culture

HumorDivisive65

Odd-couple laughs and Bud's comic relief

Plot and storyDivisive55

Creative but derivative and tonally askew

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 10 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Predator: Badlands like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseAbsurd
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsPlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its material with a mix of serious adventure and lighthearted buddy-comedy beats, undercutting its darker premise with humor and warmth.
The rideReviews describe a propulsive, fun, violent action-adventure with tense hunting sequences, sustained across the runtime.
StructureThe story follows a linear progression across an alien wilderness, focusing on the Predator's journey and its encounter with the synth. The bulk of the action is set on one dangerous planet.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayViewers leave entertained and grinning, with a sense that the franchise can evolve and that even a Predator can find connection and purpose.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe Predator must prove itself on a dangerous planet while protecting a synth companion, facing hostile creatures and a rival hunter. The journey involves survival and a moral shift toward protecting rather than hunting.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Friendship · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film makes a Predator a hero who must be deprogrammed from his culture's violent values, exploring what it means to define oneself against one's upbringing.
StanceThe film questions the Predator's culture of hunting and violence by making the creature a hero who breaks away, interrogating the identity inherited from one's society.

The world

Far futureOuter spaceWildernessScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score
SettingOff-world colony or alien planet with synthetics and Yautja hunters

Content guide

Is Predator: Badlands okay for kids?

PG-13

Predator: Badlands is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong sci-fi violence” (MPAA). As of October 5, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (77/100), sexual content at minimal (5/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (7/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 84% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 39 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • New ZealandR13
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria14
  • BGD
  • CL14
  • Czechia15+
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceK15
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ID13+
  • IndiaU/A 16+
  • Israel12
  • Italy10+
  • LV16+
  • MexicoB
  • MOC
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • PortugalM/12
  • PRPG-13
  • RO12
  • SingaporeNC16
  • SK15
  • South Africa13
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan15+
  • TH15
  • Türkiye13A
  • UA16+
  • VIPG-13
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 52% of all filmsHeavier than 84% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 96%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 3%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 6%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 83%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Predator: Badlands have?

MovieCove's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in Predator: Badlands: Gore or body horror (moderate), Gun violence (moderate), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGore or body horrorGun violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Predator: Badlands?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Elle Fanning
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Predator: Badlands?

Movies like Predator: Badlands include Predators (2010), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) and The Predator (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in outer space, and most are action comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Jim Thomas and John Thomas wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Predator: Badlands?

76 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: alien. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.