‘Predator: Badlands’ lands in theaters: what to know about the new Predator movie, post-credits, and how it ties to Prey and Killer of Killers

The hunt is on again. Predator: Badlands opened in theaters on November 7 with a fresh twist on the long-running sci-fi franchise: for the first time, the story follows a young Yautja (Predator) as the protagonist. Early box office previews pointed to solid interest, and audience chatter has zeroed in on two things—how it connects to recent entries like Prey and the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers, and whether there’s anything after the credits.

‘Predator: Badlands’ release details and rating

Predator: Badlands is a PG-13, 107-minute sci-fi action film directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey). Set in the future on a remote planet, the plot centers on Dek, an outcast Yautja seeking redemption by hunting an almost mythic adversary. Along the way he forms a wary alliance with Thia, a synthetic whose corporate origins nod toward familiar lore from the wider universe. The theatrical release is exclusive to cinemas for now; based on the studio’s recent patterns, a digital and streaming window is expected in early 2026, with exact dates to be announced.

Does ‘Predator: Badlands’ have a post-credits scene?

Yes—there is a brief stinger immediately after the end title card. It arrives quickly, before the main credits roll. There are no additional mid-credits or after-credits scenes beyond that early tag. If you want the little extra without staying through the full scroll, wait for the title card moment and you’ll catch it. (No spoilers here.)

How ‘Badlands’ fits with Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers

Fans who came aboard with Prey (2022) and the 2025 animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers will find clear connective tissue in tone and world-building—lean, brutal survival stories and a fascination with Predator culture. Where Prey reframed the formula from a Comanche perspective on the American Plains, Killer of Killers stretched the timeline across Viking-era Scandinavia, feudal Japan, and World War II. Badlands pushes in a different direction: it relocates the franchise to an alien world and, crucially, pivots the point of view to a Yautja outcast, inviting viewers inside the clan dynamics, rites, and pressures that have long been glimpsed but rarely explored.

That pivot pays off in character terms. Dek’s outsider status echoes the franchise’s recurring theme of proving oneself against impossible odds, but the stakes are personal, not just predatory. Thia, the bifurcated synthetic who becomes an unlikely ally, adds both comic ingenuity and emotional counterbalance. Their uneasy partnership—warrior and machine, hunter and strategist—keeps the film from becoming a simple duel of set pieces.

Where it sits in the Predator movie timeline

Here’s a quick, high-level look at the modern run of Predator projects and their release years:

• Predator (1987)

• Predator 2 (1990)

• Predators (2010)

• The Predator (2018)

• Prey (2022)

• Predator: Killer of Killers (2025, animated anthology; streaming)

• Predator: Badlands (2025, theatrical)

While continuity threads are increasingly thematic rather than strictly linear, the recent trio—Prey, Killer of Killers, and Badlands—share creative DNA and a clear appetite for experimentation with setting, perspective, and tone.

What early box office and reaction suggest

Preview grosses signaled a healthy launch for a November genre title, with momentum driven by curiosity about the franchise’s first Predator-led narrative and the returning creative team. Early reactions highlight the film’s world-building, gnarly creature work, and the off-kilter humor that bubbles up from Thia’s problem-solving amid carnage. Some viewers are calling it the most heartfelt entry since the original era, not because it turns soft, but because it lets the mask slip on Predator society—family expectation, exile, and the weight of ritual.

Should you stay seated after the final blow?

If you’re weighing that popcorn refill against the possibility of a late-game twist: catch the quick tag right after the title card, then you’re free to go. There’s nothing hidden at the very end.

What’s next for Predator movies?

Recent updates indicate that the franchise is in a productive phase, with live-action and animation now complementing one another. Badlands feels designed to stand alone while leaving the door open for further exploration of Yautja culture, other clans, and other eras. On the small-screen side, the success of Killer of Killers has broadened the toolkit: anthology storytelling can fill in historical gaps, while theatrical releases can carry larger-scale arcs on alien worlds.

For now, Predator: Badlands delivers a sharp angle on a durable idea: the hunt isn’t just about trophies; it’s about identity. If you’ve followed the franchise through its recent refresh with Prey and the animated anthology, this one completes a striking three-part evolution—past, across history, and now off-world—from prey to Predator to something more nuanced in between.