Predator: Badlands is set to be the biggest chapter in the franchise for several reasons. For the first time, audiences will get a peek at one of their alien worlds, although it's not the planet known as Yautja Prime. Viewers have watched the predatory hunters descend on Earth several times, but no director has shown their place of origin. Bear in mind that the upcoming film takes place on a "Death Planet" called Kalisk; not Yautja Prime or the hunting preserve depicted in 2010's Predators.
In any case, the Yautja clans are upfront and center for the action as Badlands centers around a "runt" named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) trying to prove himself. A key aspect of their species is gaining fame through hunting. Ultimately, those who land the biggest kills earn the biggest shows of respect from their peers—explaining why Dek is so persistent in his endeavors.
There is more to Dek's adventure, though. He's not simply vying for approval—he's an outcast. And the only thing that can restore his honor is hunting down an impossible target. While details surrounding Dek's prey are vague, glimpses shown from the trailer suggest he's facing a more experienced hunter—possibly another outcast. A Predator adorned in what appears to be royal garbs can be seen in the trailer, traversing the wastelands. This individual doesn't wear the typical hunter-style mask associated with the Predator, leading us to believe that he or she is from the upper echelon of clans. Alternatively, they could be the ultimate adversary spoken of in the Badlands plot description.
"Cast out from its clan, an alien hunter and an unlikely ally embark on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary."
Additionally, Dek partners up with an unlikely ally along the way: Thia (Elle Fanning). What is even more surprising than a Yautja partnering with a humanoid is the fact that Thia is a Weyland-Yutani synthetic. A close-up of Thia in the teaser shows the android's eyes rolling into the back of her head, revealing a Weyland logo on the reverse side of her pupils. Additional evidence of her affiliations with the Alien-centric corporation resides in a destroyed Weyland land-crawler positioned nearby.
Viewers should pay close attention to Thia in Badlands for another reason—she's the first link between the Alien and Predator franchises. Fans may remember the crossovers, Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, but they aren't technically canon films. And given that Badlands is classified as Predator 6, logically speaking, neither AVP movie is part of the continuity; the series includes Predator (1987), Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), The Predator (2018), and Prey (2022).
Now, while a synthetic's appearance in Badlands suggests a Xenomorph-Yautja showdown is coming, the narrative has evolved beyond the premise of 2004's AVP movie. Besides, there's no feasible way for Weyland-Yutani to extract anyone—or anything—from a "Death Planet" controlled by the Yautja. Even if the corporation possesses more advanced equipment and is militarized, the corporation will never be able to compete with the Predators, especially ones that have been hunting their entire lives.
In the worst-case scenario, the Yautja would track down the human visitors. The larger specimen from 2018's The Predator was responsible for eliminating any remnants left on Earth to prevent their technology from winding up in human hands. Similarly, the Yautja wouldn't allow Weyland-Yutani to depart with one of their own in captivity.
Predator: Badlands opens in theaters on November 7, 2025.