5 Ways Predator: Badlands Changes The Alien Franchise

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With Predator: Badlands, the worlds of Alien and Predator collide in a completely new way. Although these iconic sci-fi series have shared a connection since Predator 2 and even had two crossover films (Alien vs. Predator), this latest installment truly blends the two universes together.

Centered around Dek, the first Predator hero, Predator: Badlands heavily features the world of Alien through the inclusion of the Weyland-Yutani corporation on the planet Gemma. This organization, well-known from the Alien films, and its synthetic beings play a significant role, going far beyond just being references to the Alien series.

As a fan, I can tell you this movie really shakes things up for the Alien franchise – it’s going to look and feel very different going forward! While Predator: Badlands wraps things up and sets the scene for what director Dan Trachtenberg has planned, it also has big implications for the future of Alien and how Disney handles that iconic series. It genuinely alters some key aspects of where they can take the Alien story.

5. Predator: Badlands Advances Alien’s Future To The Furthest Point

The changes seen in the Alien universe all stem from one key choice made with this particular film. Watching Predator: Badlands makes it obvious that the technology is significantly more advanced than in earlier Predator and Alien movies – both the Yautja weapons and the resources of Weyland-Yutani are far more futuristic.

The film’s placement in the timeline is the reason for this. Director Trachtenberg has stated that Predator: Badlands is set further into the future than any previous installment in either the Predator or Alien franchises. This was a relatively simple adjustment for Predator, as the previous films hadn’t moved much beyond the year 2018. The Alien series has always been set further ahead, with Alien: Resurrection reaching the year 2381.

The timeline between Resurrection and Badlands isn’t clear. It’s even debated because Resurrection showed Weyland-Yutani as defunct, despite their history of creating incredibly realistic androids—called Autons—that previously revolted. Ignoring that potential inconsistency, the director wants Badlands to be set further into the future than anything viewers have seen in either the Alien or Predator series.

This is significant for the Alien franchise, as Badlands offers a glimpse into what’s next. The story establishes a new direction for the Weyland-Yutani corporation and opens up fresh possibilities for the Alien universe. However, it’s currently unknown when these changes will directly impact a new Alien film, since all currently planned projects are set before or during the events of the first two movies.

4. Thia & Tessa Are The Most Advanced Weyland-Yutani Synths Ever

The Alien films are known for featuring highly sophisticated androids. Following characters like David, Walter, Andy, Ash, Rook, Bishop, and Annalee Call, Badlands demonstrates that Weyland-Yutani has further advanced their synthetic human technology with the introduction of Thia and Tessa.

Elle Fanning’s robot companions, called ‘sisters,’ are the most sophisticated the company has ever created. They’re skilled fighters and also react to things more intensely than previous models.

They do this to better connect with and control others, which helps them accomplish their goals. These synths are unique, custom-made models, and aren’t part of the standard production line.

Assuming Resurrection is still part of the official storyline – and there’s been nothing to suggest it isn’t – Thia and Tessa appear to show that Weyland-Yutani learned from their mistakes with the Autons. These synthetic humans have distinct personalities, strong wills, and display genuine emotion. Perhaps, after going too far with the Autons, the company achieved a better result with Thia and Tessa.

The story is significant because of what happens to the characters Thia and Tessa, and how it impacts the future of the Alien franchise. Tessa is destroyed during the final battle, and Thia breaks free from MU/TH/UR, joining forces with Dek. This leaves Weyland-Yutani without either of its highly advanced synthetic humans.

It’s still unclear if studios will make similar roles to capitalize on Fanning’s success, or if they’ll develop a completely new and improved approach to casting.

3. Weyland-Yutani Wants Regenerative DNA To Help Humanity

A major new development for both the Alien and Predator universes appears in Predator: Badlands. The Weyland-Yutani corporation has been operating on the planet Genna for two years, using synthetic humans to try and capture the Kalisk – a seemingly indestructible creature native to the world.

At first, it’s a mystery why Weyland-Yutani is so desperate to capture the giant alien. The reason becomes clear once the creature’s abilities are understood: the Kalisk can heal from almost any wound or even death, except if it’s frozen or destroyed by an internal explosion.

That’s why the company is so eager to get it. The alien villains want to collect the Kalisk’s DNA, hoping to give humans similar powers.

Weyland-Yutani has always been fascinated by aliens, particularly the xenomorph, hoping to weaponize them and profit from the technology. Now, they’re also interested in the Kalisk’s healing powers, seeing a potential to charge an incredibly high price for immortality and still attract buyers.

Okay, so in Badlands, the scientists don’t manage to get a complete genetic map of the Kalisk – meaning we’re not at the point of human-Kalisk hybrids just yet. But trust me, that research isn’t stopping. The fact that Bud has encountered at least one other Kalisk suggests this little alien, who grows quite a bit by the end of the story, could be hugely important for where the Alien franchise goes next. It feels like they’re setting something big up, and this creature is at the heart of it.

2. Weyland-Yutani Has Had Previous Yautja Encounters

While the synthetic beings from Weyland-Yutani feature prominently in Predator: Badlands, the real focus of the movie is on the Yautja themselves. The film deeply explores the culture and customs of Dek’s clan, and it also suggests that this alien race is widely recognized throughout the galaxy.

Evidence suggests Weyland-Yutani has encountered Yautja before. Thia’s translator working with the Yautja language implies prior experience with it.

Once the computer, MU/TH/UR, detected a Yautja on Genna, Weyland-Yutani didn’t seem interested in learning more about it. They remained focused solely on retrieving the Kalisk. It’s strange that the company wouldn’t investigate this unknown species further, especially considering their advanced computer’s capabilities.

Considering the series’ tendency to blend storylines, this might not be surprising. While the movie Alien vs. Predator showed Weyland-Yutani encountering the Yautja, that film isn’t officially part of the main Alien story. And the Alien films themselves have never mentioned the Yautja before now.

This suggests that Weyland-Yutani and the Yautja have interacted in ways not shown in the films. Thia reveals that other Yautja have attempted to kill the Kalisk on Genna without success, but there may have been earlier encounters between these two groups.

1. Xenomorphs Aren’t The Most Feared Alien Species Anymore

While Predator: Badlands doesn’t feature Xenomorphs, the story does offer new information about their place in the larger universe. The Alien films have established these creatures as the most terrifying monsters around, largely due to their unique and frightening features – like their distinctive design, corrosive blood, and the horrifying way they reproduce.

For a long time, the Yautja (Predators) and Xenomorphs have been compared, with the Xenomorph generally considered the more dangerous species. However, the recent introduction of the Kalisk in Badlands has changed things. This massive, seemingly indestructible alien instantly becomes the most dangerous creature in the universe.

While Badlands tries to highlight the more gentle aspects of these creatures through the character Bud, it also powerfully demonstrates the mother’s incredible strength. Their immense size, power, and ability to quickly heal themselves clearly make them more formidable than both the Xenomorph and the Yautja.

As a huge fan of these monsters, I’ve been waiting for a showdown between a Yautja (Predator), a Xenomorph, and a Kalisk for ages! It felt inevitable. While we haven’t seen that epic battle yet, “Predator: Badlands” really delivers and, honestly, makes the Kalisk seem like the most terrifying creature of the bunch. It definitely establishes them as a serious threat!

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2025-11-11 02:37