Sci-Fi Reboot Revives Sluggish Cinema Season
The dreadlocked alien is back and breaking records. "Predator: Badlands" has stormed to the top of the global box office, pulling in a combined $80 million in its opening weekend. This impressive haul provided a much-needed boost to cinemas, which have been suffering through a dismal autumn season.
A Franchise High for the Predator
According to studio estimates released on Sunday, 09 November 2025, the film debuted with a powerful $40 million in North American theatres. This figure marks a new non-inflation-adjusted high for the long-running franchise, surpassing the $38.3 million opening of 2004's "Alien vs. Predator." The film faced little competition, arriving on the heels of the worst box office weekend of the year.
Internationally, the Walt Disney Co.'s 20th Century Studios release mirrored its domestic success, earning an additional $40 million. Directed and written by Dan Trachtenberg, "Badlands" is also the most expensive film in the series, carrying a production budget of $105 million.
Critical Acclaim and a New Twist
As the eighth instalment in the franchise that began in 1987, "Predator: Badlands" introduces a fresh narrative. The plot follows a young, outcast predator, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who forms an unlikely alliance with an android researcher, portrayed by Elle Fanning, on a remote planet. This novel approach has been well-received, earning the film an 85% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a solid "A-" CinemaScore from audiences.
The film's success comes at a critical time for the industry. Major chains like AMC Theaters recently reported significant quarterly losses, and last month was the lowest-grossing October in nearly three decades. While several awards-hopeful films entered theatres over the same weekend, most failed to connect with audiences.
Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson's "Die My Love" managed only $2.8 million and was slammed with a "D+" CinemaScore. "Christy," starring Sydney Sweeney, opened with $1.3 million. The best-performing new release among the non-blockbusters was Amazon MGM's "Sarah's Oil," which earned $4.5 million and a rare "A+" CinemaScore.
Disney's Box Office Resurgence
The strong debut of "Predator: Badlands" sealed The Walt Disney Co.'s fourth consecutive year of $4 billion in worldwide ticket sales. It also helped the studio recover from recent disappointments like "Tron: Ares" and "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere." With major upcoming releases such as "Zootopia 2" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash," Disney is well-positioned to surpass the $5 billion mark.
Here is the estimated Top 5 at the domestic box office for the weekend:
- 1. "Predator: Badlands," $40 million.
- 2. "Regretting You," $7.1 million.
- 3. "Black Phone 2," $5.3 million.
- 4. "Sarah's Oil," $4.5 million.
- 5. "Nuremberg," $4.1 million.
