The new movie, Predator: Badlands, is now playing in theaters. It’s director Dan Trachtenberg’s third film expanding the story of the alien hunters known as the Yautja. The story follows Dek, a Predator seeking to regain his honor, who lands on a dangerous planet designed to kill anything that enters it. He unexpectedly finds an ally in Thia, a synthetic human created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. Predator: Badlands is earning excellent reviews and is building excitement for a larger cinematic universe that could connect the Alien and Predator franchises, with strong characters at its center.
Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for the movie Predator: Badlands. The story follows Dek, who, after meeting Thia on the dangerous planet Genna, unexpectedly discovers a new group he belongs to. In addition to encountering a human created in a lab, Dek also finds a young Kalisk – the creature he’s been searching for to restore his honor. This baby Kalisk, nicknamed “Bud,” joins Dek and Thia, forming a team of three. Together, they fight against the Weyland-Utani, synthetic beings who want to capture a Kalisk and study its ability to heal.
Dek doesn’t return with Bud’s mother as a prize, but he does bring back the head of Tessa, the villainous sister of Thia. In the process, he kills his own father and restores his honor. Despite completing his mission, the movie ends with a possible hint of Dek’s mother’s return, as the three of them watch a large ship approach. Though unconfirmed, Predator: Badlands is definitely setting up future installments, and has also successfully built a substantial cinematic universe with all the interconnected stories we’ve seen recently.
The Predator/Alien Avengers
Recent movies in the Alien and Predator series are hinting at a potential crossover event. The film Prey told the story of Naru, a Comanche warrior who beat a Predator in 1719, and its ending suggested she was taken captive by them. Then, the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers revealed that the Predators sometimes freeze worthy opponents to fight later, and confirmed that Naru, along with characters Dutch and Mike Harrigan, are still alive.
Even though Dek, Thia, and Bud could return in future stories, simply bringing all these characters together would be a significant development. However, we also need to consider the Alien franchise, which has its own movies and TV series that have expanded on the Xenomorph universe and introduced new characters. While films like Alien: Covenant and Alien: Earth all include Xenomorphs and face-huggers, they tell very different stories. And there’s an even larger connecting element that has already tied these recent projects together.
The Weyland-Utani Factor
Weyland-Yutani is the dominant corporation throughout the Alien series, consistently creating problems for the characters we follow. In Predator: Badlands, Thia is one of the synthetic beings working for this powerful, mysterious company. Because Weyland-Yutani features prominently in both Alien: Covenant and Alien: Earth, it could be a great way to connect the storylines and characters from Alien and Predator in a large crossover event. While a simple Alien vs. Predator style conflict is possible, the crossover might take a different approach.
The recent Predator: Badlands really highlights how the Alien and Predator universes are starting to merge. With Disney giving both franchises a boost, fans are eager to see where this crossover goes. A shared cinematic universe is already in the works, and the big question now is just how expansive it will ultimately become.
As a huge fan of both Predator and Alien, I’m really curious to hear everyone else’s thoughts on how the films have connected so far. What are your opinions on the universe they’re building? Let’s discuss it all over on the ComicBook Forum – come join the conversation!
Read More
- Steam RPG From 2023 Being Removed Next Month and PC Users Aren’t Happy: “Huge Potential Wasted”
- Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess ‘Mazo Talisman: Yashichi Waves’ update launches in July
- Deadlock The Doorman Guide: Big Tips & Tricks
- ‘LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’ Reveals Its 7 Main Batsuits
- ‘My Name Is Jeff’: Channing Tatum Played Another Jeff In Roofman, And Is Considering Legally Changing His Name
- Yakuza Maker’s Next PS5 Game Gets a Brief Behind-the-Scenes Video
- Gears of War: Reloaded is Now Available
- Alabaster Dawn Demo is Now Available on PC
- Preview: Teamwork Is the True Terror of Little Nightmares 3
- Jujutsu Kaisen’s Sequel Fixes the Original Series’ Biggest Mistake
2025-11-08 00:41