Badlands Breakdown: Why It Looks More John Carter Than Predator

A (Brief & Biased) History of Predator: Badlands’ Development

If you’ve read my earlier deep dive on the Predator saga, let’s travel back (but not too far) in time: in February 2024, it was revealed that a standalone new Predator film, tentatively titled Badlands, was in development under Dan Trachtenberg (director of Prey). The film is co-written with Patrick Aison (who wrote Prey).

Trachtenberg reportedly drew from a wide palette of stylistic and thematic influences: Frank Frazetta, Terrence Malick, Westerns (Clint Eastwood), Mad Max 2, The Book of Eli, even Shadow of the Colossus for scale and sense of monster journeys. The goal seems ambitious: to take the Predator franchise into new thematic terrain and visual territory.

Filming began in New Zealand (working title Backpack) in August 2024, and wrapped later that year. A mix of practical creature effects (Studio Gillis, Wētā Workshop) and heavy VFX (ILM, Framestore, etc.) is being used; reportedly every shot involves some visual-effects work.

One of the boldest departures: Badlands will be the first mainline Predator film rated PG-13 instead of the usual R (for blood, gore, etc.).Set reports suggest there are no “live” human characters — only synthetics (androids) of Weyland-Yutani appear among the cast.  The rationale: with no human blood, they hope to broaden the audience while retaining “an R feel” in spirit.

So in short: Badlands is a franchise gamble — riskier than another jungle stalker flick, but perhaps necessary to push the Predator brand forward.

Why PG-13? 

Turning Predator “soft” feels sacrilegious to longtime fans. Why go PG-13?

1. Audience reach / box office: A PG-13 rating lets younger viewers in (or at least makes marketing safer). That’s a tempting trade-off for studios.

2. No human gore = less justification for R: If the film indeed has no human protagonists (only androids and monsters), the absence of “human blood” might justify tamping down on explicit violence.

3. “PG-13 that feels like R” aspiration: Some reports say the creative team wants to push PG-13 as far as possible without triggering an R — that is, hint at brutality without fully showing it.

But the risk: you lose mystery, visceral fear, the “murder in the shadows” vibe that Predator built its identity on. PG-13 predators may no longer feel dangerous, just toned down. As per reddit Fans may see it as compromise. 

What the Trailer (Finally) Gives — And What It Withholds

The Setup & Tone

The final trailer was released October 6, 2025, ahead of the film’s November 7 theatrical/IMAX debut. We see Dek, a young Predator (played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), helping a legless Weyland-Yutani synthetic named Thia (Elle Fanning). It promises a world called Kalisk, pitched as “the most dangerous planet in the universe.”

The trailer also teases Tessa — Thia’s twin (also played by Fanning) — possibly the antagonist. A menagerie of beast creatures, spike plants, tentacled threats, and giant monsters populate the environment.

Crucially, the trailer leans less on human drama and more on visual spectacle — monstrous fauna, alien flora, creatures battling, and the dynamic between Dek and Thia.

What the Trailer Shyly Avoids

• Strong alien worldbuilding / exoplanet weirdness: Most of what we see feels eerily Earthlike: forests, moss, big beasts, etc.

• Deep Predator mystique: No real deep dives into Predator culture, lore, or the Yautja social hierarchy so far.

• Complex stakes or story beats: We don’t see how Thia and Dek’s goals diverge, or what the ultimate adversary is (beyond teased monsters).

• Clear sense of alien-ness: There’s no heavy alien tech or environment that says “this is not Earth” in a bold way.

So it’s a “visual mood board” more than a narrative reveal.

My Observations 

1. It feels like John Carter (of Mars), not Predator

You know those sci-fi epics where an outsider arrives to tame beasts, ride weird landscapes, bond with a sidekick, and traverse a quasi-earthly wilderness? That’s what much of this trailer evokes. The feel is more planetary adventure than hunting horror.

The shift away from camouflaged ambushes into sweeping vistas, beast vs beast scenes, and a “lost world” aesthetic gives a “John Carter on steroids” vibe — not the gritty, skeletal, stalking brutality the original Predator films promised.

2. The “alien world” seems suspiciously terrestrial

Initial reactions (including YouTube comments) note that the landscapes look like Australia’s wilderness (dense foliage, scrub, wild beasts), not an uncharted alien realm. That absence of imagination leaves the trailer feeling like nature with extra teeth.

Also, the tech and flora/fauna don’t scream “alien ecosystem.” We expect flora that defy Earth botany, beasts that warp biology — but here, it’s often just exaggerated Earth animals. That raises the question: where are they taking us, world-building wise?

3. The Yautja (or “Yautja-ish”) came off half-hearted

The Predator design— or at least what we see — feels more human than alien; it’s a human-shaped warrior with Predator armor rather than something that redefines what “Predator” could look like. The voice reveal (in the trailer) seems male, which suggests gendered Yautja or vocal dimorphism — though we don’t yet know how the species handles gender or reproduction.

To me, it seems like the designers aimed for emotional expressivity (thus digital face enhancements) at the cost of feral mystery. The result: a Predator you feel more than one you fear.

4. Elle Fanning steals frames (for better or worse)

Elle’s presence is striking — playing Thia (and her twin) gives her screen gravity, and the visual design is taut. On one hand, that’s a win: she elevates the trailer. On the other hand, this has shades of “young protagonist in distress or awakening,” and there is some cringey speculation (in comments) that this could be a point of sexual fascination for younger viewers. (Yes, absurd but the internet thinks weird.)

5. The mystery is fading

One of my biggest criticisms: the trailer gives too much. We see monsters, creatures, hints of twin synths, Dek in action. The more they show, the less room for dread. In trying to entice, they may spoil one of the essential pleasures of Predator — the unknown, the shadows, the unseen hunter.

What I Expect (And Hope) Badlands Will Deliver

• A richer exploration of Predator / Yautja society (rituals, hierarchy, world lore).

• That teased sense of a creature-feature gauntlet — monster after monster — but with stakes and originality.

• A darker tone underneath the PG-13 veneer; hints of brutality without going full gore.

• Strong character conflict between Dek and Thia (or Tessa), not just monster fodder.

• Visual surprises: alien flora/fauna that surprise and unsettle, not just rehash Earth tropes.

• Maybe (secretly) some Alien teases — given the Weyland-Yutani connection in the trailer.

FAQs (Because Everyone Needs a “Predator Q&A”)

Will Predator: Badlands be too soft because of PG-13?

It’s possible — the PG-13 ceiling limits how much graphic violence can be shown. But it all depends on tone, editing, implication, and what is offscreen. If they play clever, it could feel darker than expected. But the trailer already suggests a leaner, less brutal Predator.

How “alien” is the world of Badlands compared to past Predator films?

From the trailer, not very — it leans heavily into Earthlike terrain and beasts. But the set reports hint at exotic monsters and the planet Kalisk, so the film may push harder once in motion. We’ll see whether it leans alien wilderness or Earth with teeth.

Why use synthetics (androids) instead of humans?

Possibly to avoid gore, to remove human frailty and allow the Predator to be the central “human-ish” actor, and to deepen ties to the Alien lore (Weyland-Yutani). It’s also a narrative choice: synthetic beings can act more dispassionately, making the stakes more about survival, not emotions. But it also risks reducing human relatability.

Does the trailer confirm a Predator “hero”?

Yes — the main Predator, Dek, is positioned as the protagonist (not mere antagonist). That is a departure: the Predator is now a lead, not the monster to be hunted.

Could Badlands set up Alien vs Predator again?

Fans are speculating just that. The Weyland-Yutani android link, the presence of synthetics, and tease of deeper lore all open the door. The trailer has triggered speculation that Badlands is laying groundwork for a future crossover.

Is my suspicion correct — the trailer feels underwhelming?

You're not alone. Many fans (and critics) have voiced disappointment that the trailer lacks mystery, leans too much on spectacle, and softens the traditional Predator menace