Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands is off to a killer start at cinemas, earning $4.8 million in previews across Wednesday fan screenings and Thursday night showings. The launch number is lower than Alien: Romulus’s $6.5 million, but it’s worth noting that Romulus was a franchise reboot while Badlands is a sequel to 2022’s Prey, which made its debut on digital services during the COVID pandemic. Romulus took home a $42 million domestic launch, but the film was also rated R, which people expect from these types of sci-fi thrill rides. Notably, Predator: Badlands is rated PG-13, which could ultimately impact the film’s box office performance.
Thankfully, Predator: Badlands is already performing better than the last theatrical Predator film, The Predator, which did $2.5 million in Thursday previews back in September 2018. The Predator eventually posted a $10.3 million Friday total, leading to a $24.6 million weekend total. Predator: Badlands reportedly cost $105 million before marketing. Trachtenberg shot Badlands in New Zealand with the assistance of tax credits.
The official synopsis tells us the film is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. The film is produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi plays the lead Predator.
JoBlo’s Chris Bumbray reviewed Predator: Badlands for the site, saying it’s “super fun, but also VERY PG-13 and tame.” According to Chris, “Whether or not you enjoy Predator: Badlands really depends on how tied you are to the OG franchise — which, I’ll admit, is inconsistent at best. Given how limited the audience has been for pretty much every Predator movie that didn’t star Arnold Schwarzenegger, I get them trying something new. I was able to go with it and had a blast. It’s a new direction for the franchise, and while it’s certainly different, it’s not bad either.”
Despite the film’s rating, I still want to see Predator: Badlands. How about you? Let us know in the comments section below.
