'Predator: Badlands' earns rave first reactions; critics call It “Big on action and wildly entertaining adventure"

The hunt has officially begun, and audiences are roaring their approval.

Early reactions to Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands are flooding social media following its first screening in the UK, and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive. Critics are calling the latest entry in the iconic franchise a thrilling reinvention filled with heart, humor, and jaw-dropping action.

Dan Trachtenberg, who revitalized the series with 2022’s Prey, is being praised once again for delivering a fresh and cinematic take on the Predator universe. The critics also hailed the film as “all killer, no filler — a cosmic buddy road movie that totally works" and “a confident, wildly entertaining sci-fi adventure that expands the Predator mythos in the best way.”

Others applauded how Badlands deepens the lore of the Yautja, the legendary alien hunters, while still delivering edge-of-your-seat excitement. The chemistry between stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning is being highlighted as one of the film’s biggest strengths, with their unlikely partnership bringing both humor and heart to the high-stakes story.

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PREDATOR: BADLANDS is the visual proof we need to crown Dan Trachtenberg the pioneer of the PREDATOR franchise. With each movie he continues to break the boundaries of what this franchise is capable of as he switches from an action/horror to a sci-fi/fantasy adventure.… pic.twitter.com/ZIWyqPDviE

— Christopher Rates It 🦦 (@LuminousDagger) October 27, 2025

Dan Tratchenberg takes some swings with #PredatorBadlands and I respect that. Not all of it works, and it’ll probably divide fans but it’s refreshing for a franchise to try something new and not be content with formula. Great score and creature design. pic.twitter.com/J4L7zG2bj4

— Paul Klein 👾 (@paulkleinyoo) October 27, 2025

Even as someone who worshiped PREY, I was hesitant walking into PREDATOR: BADLANDS.

However, P:B is another breath of fresh air in the series. A film as creative, bold and even violent as the original…but also surprisingly funny?

Just give Dan the keys to the franchise. pic.twitter.com/zBbfPmdPbr

— Jake Hamilton (@JakesTakes) October 28, 2025

Initial Predator Badlands thoughts - absolutely a Dark Horse adaptation. Fans of the wider EU will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Leaned heavy into the adventure/fantasy angle & really showed the genre bending/flexibility of the Predator.

— Aaron Percival (@_CorporalHicks) October 27, 2025

_Predator: Badlands_ releases in Indian theatres on 7th November, 2025 in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.