Predator: Badlands (2025)

The Predator is the underdog now, and he’s got dad issues. Dek is the scrawniest hunter in his Yautja clan, his father thinks he’s too weak to keep around, and he ends up stranded on Genna, a planet where even the plants are hostile. His only help is Thia, a badly damaged Weyland-Yutani android, plus a small creature she names Bud. Elle Fanning plays Thia with a sunny, funny energy this franchise has never had, and she’s the glue. Dan Trachtenberg builds a wild alien world, and the creature work is excellent. The catch: once you make the hunter relatable, some of the menace leaks out, and Dek can come off like a sulky teenager. It’s the first mainline Predator rated PG-13, and it holds an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. It made $184.6 million worldwide on a reported $105M. A 7.8 because it reinvents a tired series and actually has fun doing it. $61.24 says you end up cheering for a Predator and feel strange about it all week.

What works: Elle Fanning is a delight, the alien world is inventive, and flipping the Predator into the hero gives the series new life.

What doesn’t: Making the hunter sympathetic drains some of the menace, and Dek’s sulking can make him feel like a moody teenager.

Who it’s for: Sci-fi fans who want a creature adventure with heart, and Predator fans open to seeing the series from the other side.