Predator: Badlands Smashes Franchise Record But Still Misses the Mark

Predator: Badlands has managed to keep Dan Trachtenberg’s winning streak alive, giving the long-running sci-fi saga a much-needed boost after its previous stumble in 2018. Despite the critical praise and renewed interest, the financial side of things isn’t quite as rosy as some might hope.

Box Office Highs and Lows

While Badlands has now outperformed Alien Vs. Predator to become the top earner in the series, it’s still fallen short of the $200 million milestone. The film’s global takings have topped out at $180 million, which, on paper, looks impressive. But with Disney forking out $105 million for production and another $70 million on marketing, the numbers don’t quite add up in their favour. As one industry watcher put it,

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is topping out at just $180M at the global box office, leaving @Disney on the hook for an ~$80M loss, after spending $105M on production + ~$70M in marketing. The third-biggest box office bomb of 2025. Full rankings of this year's biggest flops dropping soon.

Given the franchise’s return to cinemas after Shane Black’s last effort failed to impress, Badlands’ box office win is a bit of a double-edged sword. It’s the most successful entry so far, but the profit margins are still looking pretty slim.

Breaking Even: A Tough Ask

With a reported budget of $105 million, the usual rule of thumb says a film needs to make about 2.5 times its cost to break even. For Badlands, that’s roughly $262.5 million. With the final tally expected to hover just above $180 million, it’s clear the break-even point is out of reach for now.

That doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom for Disney. The franchise has found a solid following on Disney+, and there’s every chance the film will pull in solid numbers once it hits digital platforms. The November release window was crowded, with big sequels like Wicked 2 and Zootopia 2 also vying for punters’ attention. For a series making its big-screen comeback, that’s a tough ask. Still, with Trachtenberg at the helm, the brand’s future looks a bit brighter, even if the cinema run hasn’t set the world on fire.

Streaming May Be the Way Forward

Given the strong performance of previous entries on Disney+, the underwhelming box office for Badlands could see Disney rethink its strategy. Trachtenberg, who’s yet to miss the mark with this series, is already tossing around ideas for what comes next. There’s a fair chance the next chapter could skip cinemas altogether and head straight to streaming.

If a sequel does get the green light, and especially if it returns to an R-rating, it might face even more hurdles at the box office. Still, the creative team has a knack for keeping things fresh, and fans can expect something new if another film gets made. With a less crowded release schedule and the goodwill Trachtenberg has built up, there’s still hope the franchise could turn things around.

Critical Response and Audience Buzz

Badlands has scored well with both critics and audiences, earning a 7.4/10 on IMDb and an 86% critics’ score (with 95% audience approval) on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s $180.2 million box office haul is nothing to sneeze at, even if it hasn’t quite hit the heights Disney was hoping for.

Locals and fans alike are keen to see where the series heads next. For now, Badlands is still showing in cinemas, and the conversation about its future is just getting started.