Why Are There No Humans in Predator: Badlands?

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As a huge fan, I’m so excited about this new film! It’s a game-changer for the Predator series because, for the first time ever, we actually get to see things from the Predator’s point of view and genuinely root for it! It’s also the first Predator movie we’ve gotten in theaters since 2018. Dan Trachtenberg, who did a fantastic job with Prey, clearly understands what makes this franchise special, and he’s the perfect director to take it forward with some really cool, fresh ideas while still honoring what we all love about the original films.

Unlike all other films in the Predator series, Predator: Badlands doesn’t feature any human characters. Every previous Predator movie has centered around a group of people hunted by the Yautja, with only a few surviving. The decision to exclude humans in this new installment, made by director Trachtenberg and 20th Century Studios, was a surprising one and significantly alters the story.

Why Are There No Humans in Predator: Badlands?

The choice to exclude humans from the movie Predator: Badlands was a significant creative one. Director Dan Trachtenberg explained in a recent interview that including humans would have detracted from the core story of Dek and Thia, ultimately harming the film. He shared this with Ash Crossan before the movie’s release.

Trachtenberg explained that he deliberately kept humans out of the film to avoid distracting the audience. He didn’t want the story to become another ‘human-and-monster-partner’ tale, like Terminator 2 – which he acknowledges is a great movie, but a familiar formula.

He believed viewers would connect more with the human characters than with an alien hunter who looked and sounded completely foreign. While many films have succeeded with non-human leads, his logic was sound: to truly introduce audiences to a Yautja as a central character, the humans in the story needed to be less prominent.

The director explained that he believed the Predator series needed a film where the Predator actually wins. He pointed out that despite being known as the ultimate hunters, the Yautja always lose in the end. It was challenging to create a story where the Predators succeed, particularly while still including compelling human characters, as audiences don’t typically enjoy slasher films where the killer prevails.

Trachtenberg shared that his first idea for the movie involved having the Predator fight Nazis, thinking it would be simpler for viewers to dislike the human enemies. However, the story didn’t truly come together until he shifted towards the more science fiction-focused direction that the final film, Badlands, took.

We started by looking at what previous movies in the series had established. Fans had noticed a recurring issue: why does the Predator keep losing? He’s meant to be the ultimate hunter, but he’s often defeated, and that didn’t make sense to us.

I started thinking about a story exploring what would happen if the Predator actually won. I didn’t want a simple horror film with a predictable outcome, though. I initially considered pitting the Predator against Nazis, but it didn’t feel right. Eventually, I landed on the idea of a Predator belonging to a fiercely competitive and brutal clan, fighting to establish its dominance.

The choice to feature no human characters also marked a first for the series: a PG-13 rating. This is mainly because the film’s victims are all either synthetic beings created by Weyland-Yutani or the native alien creatures of Genna. Consequently, Badlands contains significantly less graphic violence than other Predator movies.

The movie avoids showing any actual blood, and while characters are violently destroyed—with limbs and white fluid flying everywhere—this type of depiction isn’t considered graphic enough to trigger censorship. As a result, the film maintains a similar level of action as previous installments but receives a less restrictive rating, allowing it to reach a wider audience.

Does Predator: Badlands Work Without Humans?

The new film, Predator: Badlands, makes some big changes to the series that might not appeal to longtime fans. We’ve seen with franchises like Star Wars that even one controversial movie can turn off dedicated fans if it drastically changes what they love about the original films. In this case, focusing on the Predator creatures’ motivations and inner lives—without any humans present—could have been a risky move for the Predator series.

Honestly, I was a little worried about this movie, but it totally stuck the landing! Critics seem to really like it – an 85% approval rating is fantastic – but the fans are the ones who really show how good it is. Right now, the fan score is at a whopping 95%! That tells me everyone’s embracing the fresh direction Badlands takes with the Predator universe. After 37 years, it’s clear audiences are ready for something new and exciting with these creatures.

This new installment breaks away from the traditional formula of the Predator films. For nearly four decades, Predator movies have featured large groups of characters whittled down to just a few survivors in standalone sci-fi horror stories. Badlands shows the series can be much more flexible, proving that the Yautja creatures can be just as interesting as heroes as they are villains.

The film demonstrates the Predator series’ ability to succeed in various genres. Badlands largely moves away from the horror elements of previous installments, offering a sci-fi adventure reminiscent of Star Wars or Dune. While not guaranteeing all future Predator films will be similar, it suggests the franchise could explore more diverse narratives. This is positive for the long-term potential of Predator, proving it can refresh itself and appeal to new viewers even after nearly four decades.

What’s Next for the Predator Franchise?

With the success of Predator: Badlands, the Predator franchise looks promising, though future installments are still unconfirmed. Director Dan Trachtenberg has shared he has ideas for more films, but isn’t ready to reveal details yet. Given the positive reception to all three of his Predator projects from both viewers and critics, it’s likely that studios like Fox and Disney will back his future creative visions.

As a huge cinema fan, I’m really excited about the potential for more Predator movies! It looks like we might get sequels to both Predator: Prey and Predator: Badlands. Prey definitely hinted at bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, alongside Naru, and Badlands seems to be laying the groundwork to explore the Predator universe – the Yautja lore – in even greater detail. It’s a great time to be a Predator fan!

As a huge fan, I’m hearing some incredible buzz – it sounds like we might finally get another Alien vs. Predator movie! It’s been almost twenty years since the last one, but both series are back and bigger than ever. Director Trachtenberg really brought Predator back to life, and Alien is doing amazingly well with films like Alien: Romulus and the Alien: Earth series on FX. Everything points to a third crossover being in the works, and honestly, it could be absolutely epic – potentially the best one we’ve ever seen!

I’m really excited about Predator: Badlands! It feels like a fantastic new direction for the Predator series. What I loved is that it didn’t just rehash old ideas – it took risks and told a fresh story, while still honoring everything that makes the Yautja such amazing and memorable aliens. Given how well the film has been received, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of the Yautja universe in the years to come, and I can’t wait!

Predator: Badlands is now playing in theaters.

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2025-11-23 00:08