‘Predator: Badlands’ Is a Better ‘Alien’ Spinoff Than ‘Alien: Earth’

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Just a few years ago, both the Alien and Predator franchises were facing challenges, but now they’re incredibly popular again. In 2024, Alien: Romulus brought the terrifying Xenomorph back with a vengeance, returning the series to its horror origins after Alien: Covenant wasn’t well-received. Similarly, the Predator series gained new life with the 2022 Hulu film Prey. The success of these projects is leading to more stories in both universes, including the first-ever live-action Alien television series, Alien: Earth, and the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers, also from the director of Prey.

The biggest surprise this year was the release of a second Predator film, called Predator: Badlands. Director Trachtenberg returns, bringing the Yautja back to the big screen, but this time with a twist. Instead of hunting humans, the story focuses on the Predator, Dek, and attempts to make him a character we can sympathize with – a creature previously seen as purely a ruthless hunter. What could be a better challenge for Dek than a heartless corporation? The Weyland-Yutani corporation from Alien appears in Badlands, and their presence makes it the most exciting and unexpected Alien spin-off of the year.

‘Predator: Badlands’ Deepens the Franchise’s Connection to the ‘Alien’ Films


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The worlds of Alien and Predator have crossed paths before. Both film series were originally distributed by 20th Century Fox, which naturally led to the Alien vs. Predator movies. These films pitted the two iconic creatures against each other, with humans caught in the conflict. However, they weren’t very popular, and no further crossovers have been made since 2007’s Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. With both franchises now being rebooted, another crossover seems likely. In the meantime, the new Predator film, Badlands, is appeasing fans by featuring the Weyland-Yutani corporation, a key element of the Alien universe.

I’m really invested in this story about Dek, a young Predator who’s desperate to prove himself as a hunter on this incredibly dangerous planet, Genna. He’s tracking the Kalisk, and he’s getting help from Thia, a synthetic who’s seen better days. It’s cool watching their relationship develop – they’re an unlikely pair, but they really start to rely on each other. But things get complicated when they cross paths with Tessa, another synthetic just like Thia, except Tessa is much more…direct, and doesn’t have the same emotional baggage. It quickly becomes a showdown between Dek and the Weyland-Yutani synthetics, and honestly, it feels like a perfect setup for what happens in the Alien universe. It’s a great link between the Predator and Alien stories!

The Xenomorph is the iconic monster in the Alien movies, but the Weyland-Yutani corporation is truly the driving force behind everything that happens. It’s logical, then, that the Alien: Earth series would explore the corporation’s power on our planet. While Noah Hawley’s series is engaging, it isn’t perfect. Some might even argue that Badlands is a stronger Alien spinoff because it presents a more straightforward and brutal depiction of the company.

The Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s Characterization in ‘Predator: Badlands’


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Unlike other Predator stories, Predator: Badlands features no human characters – everyone you see is a synthetic being. The story introduces Thia and Tessa, twin synthetics created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation, who are designed with a degree of emotional intelligence to influence others. Elle Fanning delivers a captivating performance as both characters, bringing them to life in a way that highlights the corporation’s potential for both positive and negative actions, much like the artificial beings seen in Covenant. Tessa, in particular, shares traits with characters like David and Ash, but continues a pattern of more compassionate AI, following in the footsteps of Andy and Bishop, and even Walter.

While Alien: Earth delves deeper into the world of artificial beings, Predator: Badlands presents a different kind of story. Badlands simplifies the role of the Weyland-Yutani corporation, portraying them as more directly villainous compared to the corporate intrigue in Alien: Earth. The movie truly stands out with its combination of intense, bloody action and its focus on synthetics. The Alien vs Predator films showed us how the Predators fight Xenomorphs, and now Badlands shows us how a Predator would fare against a clever Synthetic controlled by a corporation.

As a huge Predator fan, I have to say ‘Badlands’ is interesting. It walks a fine line to avoid a PG-13 rating – instead of blood, you see white fluid whenever Dek takes down an android. Things really kick up a notch when Tessa battles Dek using his own Predator tech, and we finally get to see an alien other than the Xenomorph face off against this incredibly powerful being that dominates even the most dangerous planets. What I especially liked is how they portrayed Weyland-Yutani; they kept the company’s core goals simple and showed a relentless robotic force, which felt both familiar and surprisingly new for a Predator movie.

The Story of ‘Predator: Badlands’ Shows the Potential of More ‘Alien’ Crossovers in the Future


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The marketing for Predator: Badlands led audiences to believe the Yautja would battle an incredibly powerful, unbeatable enemy. While that’s not entirely inaccurate, the threat turned out to be a large corporation – the same one heavily featured in the Alien films – rather than a massive alien creature as the trailers suggested. This is a welcome shift for both franchises and strongly hints at a possible third Alien vs. Predator movie that could finally deliver on its promise.

Featuring Weyland-Yutani as the primary villain in the new Predator movie is a significant step, signaling a renewed connection between these two famous franchises. With the worlds of these fictional companies and creatures starting to merge, Predator: Badlands feels like a more exciting spin-off than Alien: Earth. As a sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development, we can expect even more creative crossovers and a deeper look into the shadowy characters – both human and synthetic – within the Weyland-Yutani corporation. You can currently see Predator: Badlands in theaters, and Alien: Earth is streaming on Hulu.

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2025-11-10 21:33