Every Predator Movie Box Office Ranked: How Does Predator: Badlands Stack Up?

Predator: Badlands came in hot. The new entry just bowed to $80 million worldwide, with half of that from overseas. That is the biggest global opening in the franchise’s nearly 40-year run. Not bad for a series that started with soldiers getting hunted in a jungle by an invisible alien with space-dreads.

The quick stats

Domestically, Badlands landed a $40 million opening weekend, which is the best opening ever for a standalone Predator movie — even when you adjust for inflation. Internationally, it pulled another $40 million, which is the second-biggest overseas start in the series behind 2018’s The Predator at $48.9 million.

It opened at number one in the UK, Spain, China, Korea, and Mexico. In France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Brazil, it was the top non-local title.

The movie stars Elle Fanning as Thia, a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic — yes, that Weyland-Yutani — and it is the priciest Predator film to date with a $105 million production budget. Big swing, bigger payoff so far.

How Badlands stacks up against the rest

• Predator (1987): $12M domestic debut, $98.3M worldwide
• Predator 2 (1990): $8.8M domestic debut, $54.8M worldwide
• AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004): $38.3M domestic debut, $172.5M worldwide
• Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007): $10M domestic debut, $128.9M worldwide
• Predators (2010): $24.8M domestic debut, $127.2M worldwide
• The Predator (2018): $24.6M domestic debut, $159.5M worldwide

Right now, Badlands holds the biggest worldwide opening of the bunch. If it keeps its momentum, it could challenge the franchise’s all-time global champ: AVP’s $172.5 million total, which has been sitting on the throne since 2004. With this start and the current buzz, that target does not feel out of reach.

So… about Arnold

Between the strong box office and solid reviews, sequel talk is already happening. Director Dan Trachtenberg has said he wants to explore more corners of this universe — he has even floated the idea of an animated project.

Producer Ben Rosenblatt is eyeing the big swing: bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan 'Dutch' Schaefer. He says the conversations have already started:

'Arnold and Dan have met a couple of times now. He’s been really interested in what we’re doing. He’s a real fan of what we’ve done so far.'

'After Predator: Badlands comes out, we’ll see and have more conversations. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do something with Arnold, because that would be awesome.'

Will Arnold actually suit up again? Maybe Dutch has permanently hung up the jungle boots. Or maybe he is just waiting for the right hunt. Either way, Badlands has clearly put some fresh oxygen in the franchise.

Bottom line

Predator: Badlands is already the series’ biggest global opener, it is the most expensive Predator ever made, and it has a real shot at taking the all-time franchise crown if it holds. It is in theaters now if you want to see what all the fuss (and the $105 million) looks like on a big screen. And if the numbers keep climbing, expect the Dutch question to get very real, very fast.