Hideo Kojima Says PREDATOR: BADLANDS “Represents a New Direction for Hollywood Entertainment” Inspired by “Manga, Anime, and Gaming Culture”

Legendary creator Hideo Kojima has shared his thoughts on Predator: Badlands, and he’s calling it a groundbreaking step for Hollywood.

The film, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, is the second Predator movie to be released this year, following Predator: Killer of Killers. It stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, playing a Weyland-Yutani synth and a young Yautja named Dek.

Kojima opened his review with a personal note, saying:

“A few days ago, I threw out my back, so I wasn't sure I'd make it through to the end watching a movie. But armed with my secret weapon – an inflatable lumbar pillow into the chair – I watched Predator: Badlands. A back-friendly 107 minutes! And it was great!”

He then moved into a deep appreciation for Trachtenberg’s evolving vision of the Predator universe. Kojima praised the director’s previous Predator films, saying:

“I'm sure some long-time fans will say, 'This isn't Predator!' I, too, love John McTiernan's Predator (1987). But director Dan Trachtenberg already pulled off a brilliant reimagining of the original style with Prey, successfully completing that mission.

“Predator: Badlands marks his next phase. It builds on the animated film, Predator: Killer of Killers. This is a character-driven movie about the Predator 'Dek' and his partner 'Thia' (Elle is, as always, adorable).

“Rather than a tale of 'terror of being hunted,' it's a classic, comedic action film that depicts the 'friendship' born in the midst of the hunt.”

Kojima then broke down the thematic core of the film, tying it to storytelling traditions found in Japanese manga.

“‘Failure of the weak, isolation, journey, training, encounter, rebellion, clash, comradeship, betrayal, redemption, reconciliation, unity, revenge, growth, choice, family – and a new threat.’”

According to Kojima, these are the same emotional and narrative beats that define many Shonen Jump manga stories.

“These elements form the very blueprint of mainstream Japanese manga storytelling, typified by 'Weekly Shonen Jump.' The film also takes heavy visual inspiration from video games.

“It represents a new direction for Hollywood entertainment led by a new generation of filmmakers who have inherited the global 'memes' of manga, anime, and gaming culture.”

He closed his thoughts with a direct message to younger audiences:

“I especially hope young anime fans who usually steer clear of live-action Western films will give this one a try. Even with Dek’s 'ugly' face, you'll find yourself emotionally invested from the opening scene. You'll definitely get hooked.”

Coming from Kojima, a filmmaker, designer, and storyteller whose own work bridges the worlds of gaming and cinema, this kind of praise is great to hear. Predator: Badlands seems to have impressed him not just as a fan, but as someone who recognizes the growing influence of Japanese pop culture on Western filmmaking.

If Kojima’s take is any indication, Predator: Badlands is a creative evolution, one where Hollywood finally embraces the storytelling DNA of manga, anime, and video games to build something excitingly new.