Predator: Badlands CinemaCon Footage Description Reveals Unprecedented Plot Twist

The hits just keep coming out of CinemaCon 2025, with the latest highlight being the brand new footage from "Predator: Badlands." The next chapter in the eponymous alien hunter's beloved franchise, "Badlands" is taking things in a wild direction we haven't seen before. "Badlands" star Elle Fanning took to the stage at CinemaCon to talk a little about the upcoming sci-fi movie, which was directed by "10 Cloverfield Lane" veteran Dan Trachtenberg. The latter made quite the splash with his previous take on the "Predator" property, "Prey," a ridiculously entertaining film that deserved a shot at box office glory but wound up going directly to streaming instead. Fortunately, that won't be the case with "Badlands," a movie that will further mix things up by turning the hunter into the hunted.

"Something unprecedented happens in this movie, and my character is not the one being chased," Fanning explained at CinemaCon (via The Hollywood Reporter). "My character teams up with the Predator, and you get to see him in a whole new light." From there, according to IGN, the "Badlands" footage showed a Predator on the shore of an alien planet without their helmet, along with shots of them surrounded by other-worldly monsters. Meanwhile, Fanning could be heard saying, "You're hunting something that can't be killed." That's all before a colossal space beastie charges at the lone Predator (and its iconic mandibles), which roars as they prepare to face off against the creature. But while this might excite fans, it also sounds a little like a certain "Predator" film we've seen before (only better).

Historically, there've been various "Predator" stories featuring members of the Yautja race joining forces with a human to take down a common enemy, particularly in the comic book arena. Casual fans of the franchise may also recall something similar happening in Paul W.S. Anderson's "Alien vs Predator," which saw a Predator take part in an initiation ritual by battling some Xenomorphs, only to end up working alongside the movie's human hero. But while that crossover also deservedly sits near the bottom of /Film's "Predator" movie ranking, it's the execution that's the real issue, not the premise. Still, it's interesting to hear that Trachtenberg is prepping another team-up and making our favorite bone collector the protagonist for once.

Speaking to Empire last year about "Badlands," Trachtenberg promised, "The creature is front and center, leading the charge. He's still badass, but there's something there that touches you emotionally, too. Creating a character you connect with but are also super-intimidated by has been challenging. But exciting." There's also the added detail that Fanning will play two characters in the film. "She faced intense challenges on this movie — dramatically, physically, logistically." We'll see if she gets a trophy at the end of it when "Predator: Badlands" arrives in theaters on November 7, 2025.