Disney 20th Century Studios is ringing in the new year with the digital debut of one of last year’s major science fiction crowdpleasers, “Predator: Badlands.”
Beginning Jan. 6, this autumnal blockbuster, directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“Prey”) — the filmmaker who also brought us “Predator: Killer of Killers” animated anthology — is available to rent or buy via on-demand platforms including Prime Video and Apple TV.
There is no official word yet on the release date for its streaming release on Hulu and Disney+, but we’d expect it to follow shortly after the Blu-ray release.
“Predator: Badlands” was a hit among fans, becoming the “highest-grossing entry in the franchise’s 38-year history,” according to Disney (which now owns Hulu). Despite this, with a $184 million worldwide take off a $105 million production budget, it might not actually have broken even yet, when you account for marketing and other costs.
That’s a concern for Disney executives, though. What we got is a fresh plotline about a young Yautja warrior outcast named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) teaming up with Thia, a Weyland-Yutani android (Elle Fanning), on a lethal Death Planet to hunt down the ultimate apex predator.
It’s a very different Predator movie, centering the action on the alien hunter for the first time, but it’s still a great sci-fi romp that’s worth checking out.
The prestige 4K UHD Steelbook edition for “Badlands” serves up an appetizing bonanza of exclusive bonus features, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, promo trailers, audio commentaries, and lots more that will bolster fans’ knowledge of the entire ambitious project.
Featurettes provided include:
- “Embodying the Predator” – Meet the talented team of designers, performers, and effects artists responsible for bringing one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures to life on screen in ways we’ve never seen before!
- “Authentic Synthetics” – Get up close and personal with synths Thia and Tessa as star Elle Fanning walks us through the process of crafting two characters who may look the same but have evolved in surprisingly unique ways.
- “Building the Badlands” – With razor sharp grass, killer trees, and terrifying animals, never has a planet been more deadly than Genna. Uncover how a team of artisans built this threatening landscape, transforming real locations into the dangerous environments seen on screen.
- “Dek of the Yautja” – For the first time ever, director Dan Trachtenberg has given audiences an extended peek at Predator culture. Follow the evolution as filmmakers reveal the process behind developing the Yautja’s home world, spacecraft, and family dynamics.
- “Predator: Badlands” can be purchased now on all digital marketplace sites such as Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
