Predator: Badlands released theatrically on November 7, 2025, marking a triumphant return for the iconic franchise with fresh storytelling and critical acclaim. Now that the film has arrived in cinemas with strong reviews—earning an 85 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes—fans are already wondering about the possibility of Predator: Badlands 2.
While 20th Century Studios and director Dan Trachtenberg have not officially announced a sequel, the film’s ending leaves significant room for continuation, and there are plenty of clues about what could come next.
Predator: Badlands 2 Release Date Estimate
No official release date has been announced for Predator: Badlands 2.
However, industry analysts estimate a potential sequel could arrive around 2028, depending on the box office performance of the first film. The timeline would likely follow this pattern:
Predator: Badlands theatrical run and home video release (2025-2026)
Development and pre-production of sequel (2026-2027)
Principal photography (2027)
Post-production and visual effects (2027-2028)
Theatrical release (2028)
This three-year window is standard for franchise filmmaking, particularly for effects-heavy blockbusters requiring substantial visual effects work.
The Cliffhanger Ending Sets Up Sequel Potential
Predator: Badlands doesn’t end conclusively, instead setting the stage for future developments. The film’s final scenes introduce a character that marks a franchise first: a female Predator, specifically Dek’s mother.
Director Dan Trachtenberg discussed this ending with Variety, saying:
“What I love about that ending is that it works as a final twist on the story that we’ve just been seeing, but also sets up an expectation for something that I think is pretty groovy. If I were to go forward, I don’t think that would be the whole reason, but that would be a very cool element to include. We now have all these interesting characters, and who knows what the next one is?”
This introduction expands the Predator universe significantly. According to expanded universe material, female Yautja (the Predator species) are typically portrayed as more dominant and aggressive than their male counterparts—a dynamic that could define a potential sequel.
Box Office Success Matters
The future of Predator: Badlands 2 hinges on the commercial success of the first film. As of mid-November 2025, Predator: Badlands is performing strongly at the box office, approaching the lifetime totals of previous franchise entries like Predators ($52 million worldwide) and nearing the original Predator ($59.7 million worldwide).
Strong box office numbers and positive audience reception would virtually guarantee a sequel greenlight, regardless of any official announcement.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Could Return
In an exciting development, producer Ben Rosenblatt revealed that director Dan Trachtenberg has met with Arnold Schwarzenegger about potentially reprising his role as Dutch, the original Predator protagonist, in a future sequel.
Schwarzenegger already made an animated cameo in the related project Predator: Killer of Killers (which released on Disney+ in June 2025), but a live-action return in a future film would be monumental for the franchise.
However, Trachtenberg has made clear he has no interest in simply “smashing the action figures together” for a crossover event movie in the near term. Any future appearance would need to serve the story organically rather than exist purely for fan service.
The Larger Predator Universe Expansion
It’s worth noting that Predator: Badlands is not the only Predator project in development. A direct sequel to the acclaimed 2022 film Prey is still in early development, with star Amber Midthunder expressing enthusiasm about returning to the role of Comanche warrior Naru.
Director Trachtenberg also co-directed Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology film released on Disney+ in June 2025, made simultaneously with Badlands.
This multi-project approach suggests Disney and 20th Century Studios are committed to expanding the Predator franchise across multiple timelines and formats.
Streaming Release Timeline for Badlands
While Predator: Badlands is currently a theatrical exclusive, it will eventually arrive on Disney+ and Hulu. Based on Disney’s typical release pattern—dropping theatrical films approximately three months after their theatrical debut—Predator: Badlands is estimated to arrive on streaming services in late January or February 2026.
This pattern mirrors other recent releases: The Fantastic Four: First Steps hit theaters in July 2025 and arrived on streaming in November 2025.
Where to Watch Predator: Badlands Now
Theatrical Screenings (November 7 onward):
Predator: Badlands is playing in theaters across the US, UK, Australia, and worldwide in multiple formats:
Find showtimes and book tickets at Fandango (US), Vue Cinema (UK), or Event Cinema (Australia).
Streaming (Expected January-February 2026):
Disney+ (international)
Hulu (US)
What Director Trachtenberg Says About the Future
When asked about the creative direction he’d take with a sequel, Trachtenberg has been thoughtful rather than committal. He emphasized that he avoided the trap of simply making “the sequel to the cool thing” after Prey‘s success, instead pursuing what genuinely interested him as a filmmaker.
“I was really pressuring myself to try and figure out, forget Prey, forget I even did that. What do I want to do? Do I still want to make another Predator movie, and what hasn’t been done in Predator and what hasn’t been done in movies?” he explained.
This approach suggests that if a Badlands sequel happens, it will be driven by genuine creative vision rather than franchise obligation—a promising sign for quality.
The Bottom Line
While Predator: Badlands 2 remains officially unannounced, the combination of strong critical reception, solid box office performance, a sequel-ready cliffhanger ending, and producer confirmation of behind-the-scenes development conversations with major stars like Schwarzenegger all suggest a sequel is very likely in development.
Expect an official announcement once the theatrical run concludes and financial performance is fully assessed—likely sometime in early 2026. Until then, fans can revisit Predator: Badlands in cinemas or wait for its streaming debut in early 2026.
