20th Century Studios’ latest film, “Predator: Badlands,” has made a strong debut at the box office, earning $4.8 million in preview screenings. As the ninth installment in the “Predator” franchise, this marks a significant milestone as it is the first theatrically released film under the Disney banner. Additionally, it is the first PG-13 rated film in a series traditionally known for its R-rated content.
Box Office Projections and Competition
Industry analysts predict that “Predator: Badlands” is on track to gross between $25 million and $30 million in its opening weekend. If it meets these expectations, it will rank as the second-highest opening for a “Predator” film, just behind the 2004 hit “Alien vs. Predator,” which opened with $38 million.
Recent reboots of the franchise, “Predators” (2010) and “The Predator” (2018), both garnered around $24 million on their opening weekends. With a production budget of $105 million, Disney is hopeful that the broader appeal of a PG-13 rating will help the film turn a profit, particularly after the underwhelming performance of last month’s “Tron: Ares” and “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
Storyline Overview
“Predator: Badlands” introduces a new protagonist to the franchise. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi stars as Dek, an outcast Predator. He joins forces with Thia, played by Elle Fanning, who is a weary synthetic from the “Alien” universe. Together, they are on a precarious hunt for a dangerous beast on a treacherous planet.
Their survival becomes all the more complicated as they must evade Tessa, a ruthless synthetic portrayed by Fanning in a dual role. This novel storyline is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who previously gained acclaim for the prequel “Prey” and the animated spinoff “Predator: Killer of Killers.”
Outlook and Other Releases
“Predator: Badlands” is positioned to dominate box office charts this weekend, especially following a lackluster October for film releases. Other movies launching this weekend include:
- “Die My Love” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson
- “Nuremberg,” a historical drama
- “Christy,” a boxing biopic featuring Sydney Sweeney
- “Sarah’s Oil,” an inspirational true story from Amazon MGM
However, none of these films are expected to exceed $5 million in box office receipts, further solidifying “Predator: Badlands” as the leading film of the weekend.
