The Predator franchise is rising from the ashes of its troubled past, and while there have already been five mainline series alongside two crossovers with the Alien series, it looks like the IP is making a return to form. Following the success of 2022’s Prey, Dan Trachtenberg is back to (hopefully) capitalize on the renewed interest in the Predator name.
Alongside a ‘secret’ Predator movie coming in 2025, Predator: Badland s is giving sci-fi horror fans the treat of two Predator movies in one year. The 20-year gap between 1990’s Predator 2 and 2010’s Predators feels like a distant memory. While some are worried about series saturation, Predator: Badlands is generating plenty of hype thanks to a unique premise.
Alien vs Predator – Who Would Win & Why?
In the multiple times the Xenomorph and the Predator have gone up against each other there hasn't exactly been a clear winner. But I think that determining who wins when it comes between Alien vs Predator comes own to the environment and numbers at the time. If there are more Xenomorphs than Predators, there's not much they could do to prevent being overwhelmed. But in a one-on-one fight between a lone fully matured Xenomorph and a lone adult, trained Predator, I think the Predator would win nine times out of ten. They have a way more advanced approach to combat with better tech, and their entire culture is based on ruthless hunting discipline – while Xenomorphs are more like feral animals. Feral animals with acid blood and plenty of ways to hone in on and quickly kill prey, but the Predators' technology and ability to strategize and learn from targets to more efficiently take them out is what makes them the victor here. Let us know in the comments below who you think would win and w
Predator: Badlands Delivers a Franchise First
The Predator series is constantly evolving. In addition to the lush jungles of the first movie and the concrete jungle of Los Angeles in Predator 2, it has also visited alien planets and the Great Plains in 1719 to show humanity's first meeting with the Yautja (Predator) species. Details surrounding Predator: Badlands are still sketchy, with a brief synopsis that simply says:
A groundbreaking film in which one of the two main storylines delves into the intricate bond of two very different sisters, their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions.
Continuing the franchise’s history of adding A-list talent like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover, Elle Fanning is taking the lead in Badlands. Little else is known about the plot, other than Fanning will be playing multiple characters and the fact that the Predator itself is tipped to be a protagonist.
Much like how the Alien movies have featured a doomed group of humans being hunted by the acid-blooded Xenomorphs, the Predator movies have consistently featured a human lead trying to evade being hunted by the intergalactic beast. Speaking to Empire, Trachtenberg confirmed that the Predator itself will be the protagonist in this film:
The creature is front and center, leading the charge. He’s still badass, but there’s something there that touches you emotionally, too. Creating a character you connect with, but are also super intimidated by, has been challenging. But exciting.
While it’s unclear what this means for Fanning’s character and whether she’ll effectively be the villain of the piece, it suggests Predator: Badlands will lean into the trend of sympathetic villains like the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Loki and Killmonger. The Alien vs Predator movies have typically depicted the Xenomorhps as the big bad, but in the Predator standalones, the Predators are usually portrayed as the villains. This is in contrast to the many comic books and bits of expanded media that have given a more nuanced take on the intergalactic hunters.
Even if fans are used to villainous Predators on the big screen, there was something of a sympathetic Predator in Paul W. S. Anderson’s Alien vs. Predator. Here, Sanaa Lathan’s Lex teamed up with the Predator to take on the Xenomorphs. Despite being the antagonists of their own series, the Predators aren’t specifically shown as bad. The original movie had the predator accept defeat with ritualistic suicide, while the Yautja of Predator 2 rewarded Glover’s Detective Harrigan after he killed one of their own. In 2010’s Predators, Adrien Brody’s Royce even worked with a Predator to try and get back to Earth.
Best Alien & Predator Games, Ranked
The Alien and Predator are two of Hollywood's most iconic monsters. Here are some of the best games that have featured them.
The Predator Series is Back On Top
Though John McTiernan’s Predator came out in 1987, the franchise is often forgotten when compared to Alien. Even though Alien has had some divisive outings, like 1997’s Alien: Resurrection, it was still better received than 2018’s The Predator. Shane Black’s movie suffered from behind-the-scenes drama and had several confusing alternate endings that included proposed cameos for Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, Alien’s Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), and even Newt to make good on Neil Blomkamp’s canned Aliens sequel.
As well as middling box office returns, Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox cast the future of the franchise in doubt. Although there was some talk about The Predator leading into two sequels, Trachtenberg took the Predators in a very different direction with Prey. Similar to how Ridley Scott breathed new life into Alien with Prometheus and then Fede Álvarez with Alien Romulus, Prey has reinvigorated the IP.
Despite Prey’s runaway success, the fact it was released on Disney+ makes Predator: Badlands another important milestone. Marking the franchise's return to theaters for the first time since The Predator, there are high hopes it can perform and get somewhere near Romulus’ $350 box office. If it’s a success, there’s every chance it could follow in Romulus’ footsteps and quickly get lit for a sequel.
Alvarez has already expressed an interest in teaming up with Trachtenberg to deliver another Alien vs Predator movie, telling Deadline:
Maybe we should do like Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez did with Dusk Till Dawn. I’ll direct a half, and he’ll direct another half.
With Badlands and the ‘secret’ Predator movie coming in 2025, it could be a big year for the Predator franchise. A return to the ‘near-future’ for Badlands also has some hoping that it could tie into the cliffhanger ending of Predators if it revisits the Game Preserve planet when the species do their hunting. A lot of legacy horror franchises have tried to make a comeback in recent years, with Candyman, Halloween, and Hellraiser being just a few of them. Others like The Exorcist have been less successful, although Prey proved that there’s still plenty of love for the Predator series even after a run of increasingly disappointing outings.
There’s still an element of ‘classic’ Predator thanks to Fanning’s casting, which serves as the confirmation that Badlands will still have a human focus. Still, with promises that audiences will be able to view the movie through the eyes of the titular monster and "root for a hero we rarely get to root for," it should offer a unique perspective. Despite all the love for Romulus, it was still a fairly classic Alien movie where a small crew is hunted down by Xenomorphs. Prey delivered something wildly different, and it sounds like the Predator series will continue to try new ideas. In an era when experimental horror is proving popular, could Predator even overtake Alien in terms of popularity?
Predator (1987): 12 Most Memorable Quotes
Predator (1987) is one of the horror genre's enduring classics. As such, the movie contains several cool lines that are hard to forget.