PREDATOR: BADLANDS Targets $60 Million Global Debut as Rotten Tomatoes Score Climbs to 90%

The box office has been in rough shape lately, but it looks like Predator: Badlands could be the movie to bring some heat back to theaters this weekend. After a painfully slow Halloween frame, the worst of 2025 and reportedly the weakest in three decades, Disney and 20th Century Studios are hoping their latest sci-fi action flick delivers the boost audiences and exhibitors have been waiting for.

According to Deadline, the Dan Trachtenberg-directed film is tracking for a $60 million global opening, with over $25 million expected to come from the U.S. and Canada.

That’s a solid start for the long-running Predator franchise, which has never been a massive box office powerhouse, but the projections point toward strong legs in the weeks ahead thanks to positive word of mouth and a more family-friendly rating.

This marks the first Predator movie to hit theaters since 2018’s The Predator, following the streaming releases of Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers. Fans have been eager to see the Yautja return to the big screen, and early reactions suggest it’s a comeback worth the wait.

I loved the movie, I thought it was awesome, and other critics are responding well, too. The movie is currently sitting at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 77 reviews, which is a clear sign that Badlands has struck the right balance of tension, action, and sci-fi spectacle in its storytelling.

This is a movie that a lot of fans and audeinces are going to love. It’s very different in tone, but it works so damn well. It’s also a fun Predator movie that audiences can take their kids to see! They’re gonna love it!

If these projections hold, Badlands could be the movie that breaks the fall slump and proves audiences are still eager for big, thrilling sci-fi on the big screen. It might not be the franchise’s biggest opening ever, but it could set up a healthy run that keeps the Predator legacy alive and hunting.