Predator: Badlands is one of my most anticipated movies of 2025, but it isn’t even my most anticipated upcoming Predator movie. The Predator franchise has entered a new age recently, with Prey kicking off a new era for the action movie series. Prey is being followed up by Predator: Badlands, which is an all-new take on the classic formula. I can’t wait for Preadtor: Badlands to release, and while it will be fun to finally get a new look at the planet of the Predators, it isn’t even the most exciting upcoming story that the franchise has to offer.
Predator: Badlands is unlike any other Predator film, with it featuring the movie series’ first Predator protagonist. The film follows a Predator named Dek as he teams up with a Weyland-Yutani android named Thia, with them traversing an alien planet that seems to be the home planet of the Predators. The first trailer for Predator: Badlands is out now, and it looks absolutely fantastic. The alien flora and fauna as well as the Predator foes make for a unique environment, and a Predator protagonist promises an all-new type of story.
Prey 2 Is The Predator Movie I’m Really Looking Forward To
After The Success Of 2022’s Prey
Predator: Badlands looks like a lot of fun, and it is definitely the best way to expand the franchise forward. However, I am a lot more excited for Prey 2. 2022’s Prey was the first Predator movie since 2018’s The Predator, and after the failure of the 2018 reboot, I was hesitant to get excited. However, Prey ended up being absolutely fantastic. The film jumps back in time, with it focusing on a Predator who travels to the Great Plains and battles a Comanche woman named Naru. The unique premise and increase in quality quickly made Prey my favorite film in the Predator franchise.
Despite the success of 2022’s Prey, a direct sequel hasn’t yet been announced. Instead, the franchise has continued forward with Predator: Badlands and Predator: Killer of Killers, proving that the series instead wants to create spiritual successors following Predators in different locations and time periods. While I am excited about any new Predator projects that match the quality of Prey, I still really want to see a proper Prey sequel. There is still a lot left to explore, and I would rather see a Prey sequel than a new Predator storyline.
Prey ends with a tease of what a sequel could be about, making it all the more disappointing that Prey 2 isn’t happening yet. During the film’s credits, art shows three more Predators arriving to fight the Comanche. Having the characters from Prey face an even more dangerous Predator threat would be the obvious way to escalate the stakes, with Naru and the other characters fighting a bigger batch of aliens.
Amber Midthunder’s Naru Is A Great Character I Want To Spend More Time With
Especially After The End Of Prey
One of the best things about Prey is its main character, Naru. Naru is the perfect Predator protagonist, with her having a lot of parallels with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character from the original film. Naru is surrounded by warriors, with them being easily disposed of by the Predator due to them running into battle and attempting to beat the alien through brute force. However, Naru is successful due to her ability to take a more strategic approach, with her inventive mind allowing her to take on the weapons of the Predators.
Amber Midthunder’s performance as Naru is what makes the character so great, and it causes Prey viewers to really root for her. By the end of Prey, Naru is no longer looked down upon by her tribe due to her successfully taking down the Predator. It would be interesting to see a Prey sequel in which the tribe looks to Naru for leadership as they face a new Predator threat. Naru only barely beat the lone Predator in Prey, so it will be an even bigger challenge for her to beat three of them in a potential Prey 2.
Prey 2’s Setting Is More Interesting Than A Futuristic Predator Movie
The 1700s Still Have So Much To Offer
Predator: Badlands features an exciting story, with it being the first Predator movie set on an alien planet since 2010’s Predators. The trailer for Predator: Badlands shows that this alien planet has a lot of potential, with the characters already encountering unfamiliar creatures and territory. However, this alien planet setting means that Predator: Badlands will be a lot less grounded than Prey. While this isn’t inherently bad, having the Predators hunt humans in unfamiliar territory is fun, and Predator: Badlands strays from what made the premise of Prey so great.
The 1700s setting of Prey is far more interesting, and there are still plenty of possibilities after the events of Prey. The addition of the fur trappers only scratches the surface of what this 1700s setting could show, as there are further ways where the real-world setting and the alien technology can cross over. The film can further explore the differences between the Predators and the Native Americans, adding a greater thematic significance to the original film.
Prey 2 Could Benefit From Predator: Badlands Coming First
Based On The Film’s Box Office
While I am more excited for Prey 2 than Predator: Badlands, the sequel could benefit from Predator: Badlands coming first. Since Predator: Badlands is coming out first, it will still be a while before Prey 2 releases if the sequel does happen. This time gap could help the film, as it will make Prey 2 feel more fresh since a futuristic Predator movie has been released since Prey. On top of that, it will allow the actors from the first Prey to get older, meaning that the characters can be aged up in Prey 2.
The original Prey was released directly to Hulu, which hurt its popularity a bit. Luckily, Predator: Badlands is getting a theatrical release. If the film is a mᴀssive success, then it is possible that Prey 2 could be released in theaters as well, allowing it to be a bigger hit. The box office of Predator: Badlands could also cause Prey 2 to get a bigger budget, allowing for an even more grand adventure. However, the potential box office failure of Predator: Badlands could also hurt Prey 2, making the film a gamble.
