'Badlands' Trailer Reveals New Predator Design

The iconic hunter makes a chilling return in the newly released teaser trailer for the upcoming sci-fi action sequel, Predator: Badlands.

The brief visual introduces star Elle Fanning's character, who appears to inhabit a perilous, remote planet in the future. However, the Predator she encounters is fundamentally different from its predecessors, potentially even serving as the story's protagonist. As the teaser declares, "The director of Prey welcomes you to a world of pain."

Beyond this reimagined Predator, the footage contains clear references to the Alien universe, leading to speculation that Badlands might lay the groundwork for a new Aliens vs. Predator film. Fanning's eyes undergo the Weyland-Yutani reactivation sequence seen in Alien: Romulus, hinting she could be a synthetic being. A damaged vehicle also prominently displays the Weyland-Yutani logo, the notorious megacorporation central to the Alien saga.

Predator: Badlands entered development in February 2024, with its release date confirmed later that October. While the trailer premiered exclusively at CinemaCon earlier this month, this marks the first public glimpse of the film.

During CinemaCon, 20th Century Studios shared an official synopsis: “In the future, on a remote planet, a young outcast Predator forms an unlikely alliance with a woman named Thia, embarking on a dangerous journey to find the ultimate adversary.”

"This film delivers something truly unprecedented," Fanning revealed to reporters and theater exhibitors at the event. "My character isn't the one being hunted. She actually teams up with the Predator, allowing audiences to see the creature in an entirely new way. And... I should probably stop there!"

Dan Trachtenberg, who directed 10 Cloverfield Lane and the Predator prequel Prey, helms the film from a script he co-wrote with Patrick Aison. Predator: Badlands is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 7, 2025.