Predator: Badlands Shatters Records: Surpasses Predator 2’s Weekend Gross, Eyes Original’s Total!

Predator: Badlands is making significant strides in the box office rankings for the series during its initial release weekend. This film marks the ninth entry in the science fiction series, including two crossover movies with the Alien saga, and it is the seventh theatrical release. The 2025 release of Predator: Badlands features Elle Fanning as Thia, a synthetic character from Weyland-Yutani, who embarks on a journey with a rogue Yautja named Dek, portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

According to a report by Variety, as of Sunday morning, Predator: Badlands is projected to wrap up its opening weekend with a three-day global total of $80 million. This sum consists of $40 million domestically and another $40 million from international audiences. Impressively, this amount surpasses the entire global earnings of 1990’s Predator 2 ($54.8 million) within just three days, positioning it as the sixth highest-earning film in the series.

Furthermore, the film is just under $19 million shy of exceeding the total earnings of the original 1987 Predator ($98.3 million). It is expected to surpass this figure comfortably during its second weekend or possibly by the end of its first full week in release. Below is a detailed chart of the box office performance for each Predator movie, not adjusted for inflation:

It is yet to be determined how high Predator: Badlands will climb by the end of its theatrical run. However, its estimated $40 million domestic opening is the highest for any movie in the franchise to date, suggesting it might reach the top of the franchise chart after such a strong start.

If the current trajectory continues, surpassing the $38.3 million debut of the 2004 crossover AVP: Alien vs. Predator, Badlands could potentially achieve a global total nearing $185 million. Moreover, with a Certified Fresh rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a record-breaking A- CinemaScore, the highest for the franchise, there’s potential for even greater financial success.

This outcome would be particularly beneficial for the movie, which has the highest reported budget in the franchise at $105 million, $17 million more than the previous most expensive installment, The Predator, and significantly higher than the original movie’s $18 million budget (which adjusts to about $51.5 million with inflation).

Given that blockbuster films typically need to earn back two and a half times their budgets to break even, Predator: Badlands would need to reach approximately $262.5 million to achieve this. While this figure may initially seem out of reach, the film’s current momentum suggests it could get close to this target and potentially compensate with additional revenue from VOD, streaming, and physical media sales.