‘Predator: Badlands’ Poised for Second-Best Opening in Franchise History
The new action film Predator: Badlands is tracking for a $33 million opening weekend after earning $14 million on Friday, potentially marking the second-highest debut ever for a film in the Predator series.
Friday’s ticket sales, which include $4.8 million from Wednesday and Thursday previews, position the Dan Trachtenberg-directed movie favorably against previous installments. The 2004 crossover Alien vs. Predator still holds the franchise record with a $38.2 million opening. Badlands’ performance is also being compared to the recent sci-fi release Alien: Romulus, which earned $6.5 million in previews before opening to $42 million.
The $105 million production, filmed in New Zealand with tax incentives, has garnered positive reviews and a 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, exceeding that of the original 1987 Predator film. This success follows Trachtenberg’s critically acclaimed 2022 direct-to-streaming release, Prey, which revitalized interest in the franchise and prompted calls for a theatrical release for subsequent films.
Elsewhere at the box office, Regretting You earned $1.9 million on Friday for a projected $6.5 million weekend, while The Black Phone 2 brought in $4.2 million. Officials anticipate final weekend numbers to be tallied by Sunday evening.
