Released on November 7, 2025, Predator: Badlands is the sixth live-action film in the long-running Predator franchise. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the sci-fi thriller stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in lead roles. This chapter deviates from the previous films in the franchise, featuring the Predator as the protagonist for the first time. The plot is a survival story set on the hostile alien planet Genna, a world described as cartoonishly lethal. Dek (Schuster-Koloamatangi), having been cast out from his clan for being a "runt," is on a desperate, solo hunt to defeat the fearsome, unkillable monster known as the Kalisk to regain his honor. His mission grows complicated when he is forced to form an unlikely, close-quarters alliance with Thia (Fanning), a damaged synthetic he must carry on his back. Predator: Badlands was filmed in various locations across New Zealand, where the filming began in August 2024.Predator: Badlands filming locations and production details View this post on Instagram Instagram PostPredator: Badlands filming began in New Zealand on August 27, 2025 under the working title Backpack and wrapped up in October 2024. The production crew used the diverse landscapes of Rotorua, Te Kuiti, and the rugged South Head Peninsula near Helensville to showcase the hostile alien setting of Genna, a "death planet" where the flora and fauna are aggressively lethal. The film’s futuristic and alien setting required a heavy reliance on post-production work, with every shot requiring visual effects, which were handled by Production Visual Effects Supervisor Olivier Dumont, supported by VFX Producer Kathy Siegel.Badlands visual effects were distributed among several industry-leading studios, such as Wētā FX, with Erik Winquist and Sheldon Stopsack serving as Visual Effects Supervisors, and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), where Chad Wiebe acted as the ILM Visual Effects Supervisor. Additional CGI was provided by Rising Sun Pictures, Trixter, Important Looking Pirates, and The Yard VFX.Director Dan Trachtenberg described the film as a "big, crazy swing," confirming that the central theme involves flipping the script to make the Predator the hero. Notably, the inclusion of Thia as a synthetic agent of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation creates a direct, canonical link to the Alien franchise, opening up possibilities for a rebooted Alien vs. Predator dynamic.Looking ahead, Predator Badlands director Trachtenberg has hinted that the film is the second in a planned trilogy, and that talks are underway to potentially bring back Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch in a future installment, a move that could unite the old and new eras of the Predator saga. Producer Ben Rosenblatt stated:“Obviously, the holy grail of Predator movies would be getting Arnold back in there. And it’s always been something in the back of our minds that it would be really great to see him come back to this franchise that he’s made iconic, and that’s made him iconic.Predator: Badlands is now playing in theatres. Stay tuned for more updates.