Disney's $184M Sci-Fi Movie That Resurrected A Franchise Deserves Its PVOD Success

Predator: Badlands was one of 2025’s most celebrated cinematic comeback stories. After years of underperformance at the box office, this long-dormant sci-fi franchise roared back to life, racking up over $184 million globally (via Box Office Mojo) and proving that audiences still crave Predator on the big screen.

More impressive than its financial haul was the critical turnaround. Badlands became the most financially successful Predator movie in franchise history while earning an 86% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, evidence that both fans and critics connected with its fresh take on the familiar mythos.

That success hasn’t stopped in theaters. Arriving on PVOD services like Amazon and Apple TV on January 6, the latest Predator movie is dominating early streaming charts, topping Apple TV’s paid charts and ranking #4 Amazon list at time of writing (via Flixpatrol), a clear sign that Predator: Badlands’ appeal is set to extend far beyond its theatrical run.

Predator: Badlands Brought Predator Back To Theaters

The 2025 Movie Revitalized A Dormant Franchise With Record-Setting Box Office Success

Predator: Badlands marked the franchise’s first theatrical release since The Predator in 2018, a movie that underwhelmed both commercially and critically and left many wondering what the series’ future might hold. The Predator’s struggles were emblematic of a property that had lost its way, struggling to find an identity after a string of mixed entries. Badlands disrupted that narrative with a confident reimagining of the Predator mythos.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who previously helmed Prey and the animated Predator: Killer of Killers, Badlands took bold risks by centering on Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), an outcast Predator on a personal journey rather than a simple hunt, while forging unlikely alliances with characters like the Weyland-Yutani synth Thia (Elle Fanning).

This approach helped the Badlands open to a franchise-record $40 million in its first weekend, outpacing previous entries and proving that Predator still had a strong pull at the box office. Plus, Predator: Badlands’ success wasn’t just about nostalgia. Critics and audiences responded to its character-driven story, high production values, and willingness to expand the franchise’s thematic range.

With Badlands, Dan Trachtenberg has breathed fresh life into the franchise while significantly expanding its scope, giving the Predator universe deeper emotional grounding while preserving the thrills that made the original iconic. As a result, Badlands didn’t just bring Predator back to theaters; it reestablished the franchise as a viable box office contender that can balance innovation with legacy appeal.

Predator: Badlands’ PVOD Success Helps Its Sequel Chances

Strong Performance On PVOD Deepens Studio Confidence In The Franchise’s Future

The early PVOD success of Predator: Badlands is more than just a commercial footnote; it’s a critical factor in how studios assess franchise viability. Shortly after its January 6 digital release, Badlands surged to the top of paid streaming charts on Apple TV and sits high on Amazon, proving that demand for the movie extends well beyond its theatrical window.

This matters because PVOD performance is a strong indicator of ongoing interest in an era where many films find their largest viewership at home. When a title earns significant digital purchase and rental revenue shortly after leaving theaters, it demonstrates that viewers are not only curious but invested enough to pay for ownership. That kind of enthusiasm can tip the scales for greenlighting sequels.

For the Predator franchise, which has seen stop-start reboot attempts and abandoned sequel plans to films like Predators and The Predator, Badlands’ commercial momentum is especially meaningful. It shows studios that there’s a ready audience for more stories rooted in this universe, and that they can thrive financially across multiple release platforms.

Coupled with its theatrical success, the movie’s PVOD traction makes a direct sequel highly likely. Predator: Badlands has laid the groundwork for a cohesive new continuity, one that could avoid the pitfalls of the past decade where soft reboots and half-baked follow-ups diluted the brand.

If Disney and 20th Century continue to track strong digital numbers, they’ll have both the financial and audience data support to commit to a follow-up without hesitation. Ultimately, Badlands’ PVOD performance doesn’t just reflect strong viewer interest. It signals that there’s a business case for a sustained, strategic revival of Predator in theaters and beyond.

What Will The Next Predator Movie Be?

The Franchise’s Future Could Include Crossovers, Originals, And Familiar Faces Returning

Despite the momentum generated by Predator: Badlands, there are currently no officially announced plans for what the next Predator movie will be. However, the franchise’s upbeat trajectory almost guarantees that Disney and 20th Century won’t let the momentum fade. With the groundwork laid by Badlands, studios are in a stronger position to develop a meaningful follow-up that builds on its success, rather than another disconnected reboot.

Director Dan Trachtenberg has openly discussed future possibilities (via Deadline), including more integration with the broader sci-fi universes that intersect with Predator lore. Part of this stems from elements introduced in Badlands, such as the presence of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a key link to the Alien franchise, and open conversations about how crossover elements might evolve organically in future storytelling.

There’s also significant buzz around the potential return of Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role as Dutch from the 1987 original Predator. Producer Ben Rosenblatt and others close to the franchise have teased that conversations with Schwarzenegger and Trachtenberg have taken place, and that a live-action return could be on the table (especially after the ending of Predator: Killer of Killers).

Additionally, Prey 2, the long-teased sequel to Prey, was officially confirmed in 2024 and remains a live possibility as part of the franchise’s expanded slate. That project, which would continue the story of Amber Midthunder’s Naru, could intersect with broader Predator continuity or remain separate while contributing to the overall resurgence of the series.

Plus, with Predator: Badlands deepening the worldbuilding and connective tissue with the Alien movies, there’s room to explore more diverse stories, whether rooted in individual Predator cultures, close ties to Alien lore, or even unexpected settings. Disney and 20th Century Studios could easily craft a shared universe that can sustain multiple entry points without losing focus on quality storytelling.

In short, the next Predator movie could take several forms: a direct sequel, a crossover event, or a story that reunites fans with beloved characters like Dutch. With the success of Predator: Badlands proving there’s a hungry audience ready for more, the path forward looks varied and promising.