Creating Predator: Badlands’ Yautja Protagonist: VFX Team Shares Challenges And Process

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Be warned, this contains spoilers for Predator: Badlands! After decades of portraying Predators as terrifying threats, Predator: Badlands introduces a Predator character you might actually find yourself rooting for, and the filmmakers carefully considered how to bring him to life. The story takes place on the Predators’ home worlds, and features New Zealand actor Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek – a small, exiled Predator facing certain death.

In Predator: Badlands, Dek embarks on a dangerous mission to Genna, determined to prove himself to his father, the tribe leader, and avenge his brother Kwei, who died saving him. There, he hopes to find and defeat the seemingly invincible Kalisk. During his journey, Dek learns advanced hunting techniques and forms an unexpected friendship with Thia, a damaged synthetic human played by Elle Fanning, who works for the Weyland-Yutani corporation.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and written by Patrick Aison (who also co-created the story), Predator: Badlands has received mostly positive feedback from reviewers. A standout element has been the film’s focus on emotion as it introduces Dek, the first Predator character to be portrayed as the hero. Some critics have even compared this approach to the way the Terminator was presented as a sympathetic character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

With Predator: Badlands continuing its success in theaters, ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns spoke with Sheldon Stopsack (VFX Supervisor) and Karl Rapley (Animation Supervisor) from Weta FX about the film. Rapley explained that a major challenge was creating a Predator the audience could connect with, stating they needed to make viewers “empathize and respond to that creature.” He noted this was similar to a goal from the original Predator film, referencing a famous line from Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Looking back at the original ‘Predator’ from 1987, the filmmakers really pushed the limits of practical effects. As Arnold Schwarzenegger famously said to the creature, it was a challenge to make such a fearsome being relatable. The success of the movie hinged on whether the audience could connect with the Predator on an emotional level and feel something for it – it wasn’t just about creating a monster, but something audiences could respond to.

Rapley believed the team at Weta FX faced a particular challenge when using more computer-generated imagery than the original Predator films: they had to intentionally limit themselves. This was especially true when it came to Dek’s facial expressions, which Rapley greatly admired in Schuster-Koloamatangi’s performance, calling it a strong foundation for their work. The animation team then focused on finding relatable human expressions and adapting them for Dek’s character.

Courtesy Of Weta FX

Rapley described the development process as a fascinating but experimental one, where they learned that simplicity often worked best for Dek’s facial expressions. Remembering discussions with Trachtenberg, the team agreed their aim was to respect the franchise’s legacy while also subtly innovating. They were careful not to alter the Yautja character so much that it became overly cartoonish.

I was really pleased to hear that the filmmakers put a lot of effort into practical effects for Dek in Predator: Badlands! They even considered building a physical animatronic suit, like in the original Predator, and experimented with how much they could realistically achieve with practical effects versus CGI. It quickly became clear, though, that because Dek is such an emotionally complex character, they needed the flexibility of CGI to really bring him to life.

We needed to expand on the character’s emotional range and make him more expressive. That’s where Karl and his team really excelled – they took Dimitrius’s strong performance as a starting point and adapted it beautifully. The challenge was figuring out how to convey a human performance through a character that isn’t human in form. They found a way to bridge that gap through artistic choices and carefully crafted animation.

Rapley explained that animating a character without lips, and with mandibles, presented a unique challenge. The team had to figure out how to create believable sounds and speech. He specifically highlighted the scene of Dek’s crash landing on Genna as a moment where the Yautja’s emotions really come across, because the scene focuses on Dek’s long, solitary reaction to the situation.

Lying in pain and feeling lost, Dek experiences a whirlwind of emotions, from feeling defeated and confused to grieving his brother’s death. This emotional turmoil eventually leads to a burst of intense anger, but he quickly realizes how dangerous his surroundings are. The scene was challenging for everyone involved, especially since it was filmed in one long, continuous shot, requiring the entire team to fully commit to the story.

Stopsack explained he couldn’t pick just one performance he and the Weta team created for Dek in the film, because so many were excellent and he didn’t want to be unfair. However, he highlighted the crash scene as a key moment, allowing audiences to see a different side of Dek’s personality. This contrasted with Dek’s initial, more aggressive and ferocious behavior shown earlier in the movie on Yautja Prime.

Sheldon Stopsack explains that the film skillfully reveals the Predator’s emotional range gradually. We first see glimpses of anger and vulnerability, which slowly expands to show a broader spectrum of feelings. This approach helps the audience adjust to seeing the Predator express emotions – whether he’s tending to his injuries, interacting with glow-worms, or displaying surprise. By building these emotions slowly, the film makes it easier for viewers to accept and understand the Predator’s unexpected emotional depth, and Stopsack believes this technique is exceptionally effective.

Trachtenberg Frequently Spoke With Weta About His Video Game Inspirations For Predator: Badlands

I was so thrilled to see the Predator franchise back in theaters with the latest movie! It was briefly on streaming with ‘Prey,’ which was great, but getting to experience it on the big screen again felt special. Being a fan, it was amazing to be part of that return to the cinematic world.

I’d been a fan of director Dan Trachtenberg after seeing his films 10 Cloverfield Lane and Prey. Knowing he shared my love for ’80s and ’90s movies and video games, I was eager to collaborate with him and WETA if the opportunity arose. When this project came along, I immediately signed on – I really wanted to be involved. As a longtime Predator fan – I grew up with the original – it was a special experience. What I loved about this film was how it subverted expectations. We did the unexpected, and it was incredibly rewarding to see the positive response from audiences.

I approached this project from a slightly different perspective than Karl, as I wasn’t as familiar with Dan’s work initially. I’m a big fan of the original Predator movie – growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, it really made an impact on me, so I had high expectations. Watching Prey helped me understand Dan’s capabilities, and then reading the script, as Karl mentioned, revealed a fresh and exciting take on the franchise. That’s what really got me on board and eager to start working on it.

ScreenRant asked how the filmmakers balanced the large-scale power loader fight in the Predator movie with the film’s otherwise realistic and down-to-earth tone.

My first conversation with Dan focused on the fight sequence, and he initially envisioned a much shorter film, around 90 minutes, meaning it needed to be fast-paced. We discussed the key moments, the back-and-forth action, and how to create dramatic reversals. Our team then worked to refine those moments, aiming for the most captivating way to tell the story. We looked to films like Jurassic Park and The Last of the Mohicans for inspiration, specifically fights decided by a single move or kept brief and impactful. Dan particularly liked the idea of these two powerful creatures clashing. We experimented with low camera angles to emphasize their size and weight, while also figuring out how to include the character Dek and his movements. Dan wanted to keep the hero in the fight, which presented a challenge. It was a really enjoyable process, and we had about five weeks to develop it. They filmed it at night on a farm just outside Auckland – it was a hectic shoot! Once we received the initial footage, we moved into post-production, where Sheldon and the team worked their magic to bring it to life. It was a truly awesome fight to work on.

ScreenRant mentioned they were curious if any video games had influenced the project, recalling the creator’s earlier statement about enjoying them.

Dan was really focused on getting the details right – he even wanted the ice crystals to look just like the ones in the game Destiny 2, and he was discarding anything that didn’t meet that standard. He actually had quite a few other specific requests, too.

Dan is passionate about both movies and video games, and it really shows in his work. He doesn’t just draw inspiration from films; he also incorporates ideas and references from the gaming world. This is a welcome change and brings a unique perspective to everything he does.

It was pretty amusing – Dek lost all his progress and weapons right at the beginning.

ScreenRant really enjoyed a funny moment in the first Kalisk fight where Thia tries to fix herself but falls apart again. They’re curious about how the visual effects team created that scene – specifically, how they showed her reassembling and the chaotic humor of it all.

Just to clarify, the shot of Thia sewing herself back together wasn’t done by WETA; it was another vendor. However, we at WETA handled everything from when Thia and Dek approached the Kalisk’s territory up to and including their confrontation. That sequence came to us after the initial visualization stage – we hadn’t planned it out beforehand. Dan had already filmed footage of Dimitrius reacting to the Kalisk, and our job was to make it all work and integrate the creature convincingly. It was a puzzle to put together and stage properly. Dan then had to re-edit the scene to get the timing right, as it was tricky to balance initially. The comedy in that moment is fantastic – Dek tries to act tough, but the Kalisk’s roar sends him flying. It’s a quick, visual joke that’s really effective and communicates a lot without needing extra dialogue.

ScreenRant asked if I helped choreograph the physical fight between Thia and the soldiers in the third act, specifically how her upper body movements differed from those of her legs.

Yes, that was all our work. Everything from when the Dek creature approached the Weyland-Yutani camp onward was created by WETA. That included the fight scene with Thia – specifically, the battle between her upper and lower body, which audiences seem to really enjoy. Our main goal was to film as much as possible practically, right on set. Elle did the performance capture for Thia’s upper body and face, and we used stunt doubles for the rest. The lower half of the character was essentially played by a stunt performer up to the waist. Then, using visual effects, we digitally removed the upper part of the costume to create the illusion of separation. It wasn’t actual magic, of course! [Laughs] We really wanted the effects to feel grounded and practical, but as you can imagine, we had to use some digital tools along the way.

The core of the action sequence was already very well done when we received it. The editing, pacing, and stunts were all established, which gave us a great foundation to build on. There were a few particularly ambitious moments, like the scene where someone runs up a synthesizer and flips over, followed by another synth destroying it with a crowbar. We needed to use motion capture for that. We brought in stunt performers, rigged up a harness, and had them physically perform the wall run and flip. We then translated that performance into computer-generated imagery, refining the poses and landing with keyframes. We always aim for realism, but we also enhance the action to achieve those dramatic, impactful moments.

What you saw on screen was a combination of techniques. Some shots used real footage, enhanced with digital effects to extend the body. In other instances, as Karl mentioned, we used entirely digital legs to improve the visual impact and support the story’s action and performance. We chose the best approach for each shot to serve the narrative.

ScreenRant asked how animating a character with a replaced body differs from working with a real actor. Specifically, they wondered how animators convey the impact of physical attacks – like kicks and punches – with the same force and believability when the performance isn’t coming from a physical performer.

It’s challenging, but we’re fortunate to have great resources right here, including a large motion capture stage and talented stunt performers. We’re even using things like punching bags to help them deliver realistic impacts. Audiences can easily tell when physicality isn’t believable, so we focus on making everything as real as possible. The biggest hurdle is that computer-generated imagery often struggles with weight and realism, so we have to put in extra effort to achieve that convincing feel.

Using motion capture helps create realistic action because it captures an actor’s physical movements effectively. When filming live fights, stunt performers often hold back to avoid injury, which can make the action look less impactful. With motion capture, we can push the physicality further in post-production, adding padding or making adjustments to ensure the energy of the fight comes across powerfully. We always aim to use as much of the captured performance as possible, but if we need to use computer-generated imagery to replace a move, we make sure it still matches the original intent and energy of the performance.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Predator: Badlands coverage with:

  • Our Predator: Badlands Review
  • Our guide on how Predator: Badlands connects to the Alien franchise
  • Dan Trachtenberg teasing what’s next for the Predator franchise after Badlands
  • Dan Trachtenberg on how he was inspired by Star Wars‘ C-3PO and R2-D2 for the film
  • Dan Trachtenberg on abandoning a Tarantino-esque Predator movie set in World War II
  • Dan Trachtenberg revealing which original Predator character he wants to bring back
  • Dan Trachtenberg on the sneaky Stranger Things cameo in Badlands
  • Dan Trachtenberg explaining how Badlands breaks the franchise’s planet-based trend
  • Dan Trachtenberg explaining why there are no human characters in Predator: Badlands
  • Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi revealing the surprising level of practicality behind the film
  • Stopsack & Rapley on how Predator: Badlands‘ ending fight was nearly very different
  • Stopsack & Rapley on the “massive evolutionary process” behind the Kalisk’s design changes

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2025-11-29 18:21