Predator: Badlands - 20 Easter Eggs & Alien Franchise Ties Defined

Warning! This put up comprises SPOILERS for Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands has lastly been launched in theaters, that includes a large assortment of epic Easter eggs and references to the broader Predator franchise. Nonetheless, there are simply as many ties to the Alien franchise (which is about in the identical universe).

The most recent Predator entry from director Dan Trachtenberg, Badlands is a really distinctive characteristic the place a Yautja warrior serves because the film’s protagonist for the very first time. This warrior, named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), is joined by Thia (Elle Fanning), an artificial from the Weyland-Yutani Company. Studying to work collectively, the pair change into an unlikely duo by Predator: Badlands’ ending.

Dealing with a world filled with deadly risks, Predator: Badlands can be ripe with a number of cool Easter eggs, references, and ties to each the Predator and Alien franchises (and past). Listed below are 20 of the largest ones we discovered.

Each Easter Egg, Reference, and Connection in Predator: Badlands Defined

The Yautja Codex – Predator: Badlands opens with an entry from the Yautja Codex, a strict code of honor held by each clan of the warrior race.

Whereas this new entry confirms that “Yautja are pal and prey to none“, the animated anthology Killer of Killers was the primary Predator undertaking to open with a Codex entry of its personal: “Go forth among the many stars and search solely the strongest prey. They shall be your trophy. Turn into the killer of killers.“

Yautja Prime – Whereas it is not the primary time we have seen the planet, it is all the time thrilling to see extra of Yautja Prime, homeworld to the Predators and its varied warrior clans within the established franchise lore.

Hover Bikes – Each Dek and his father are proven driving hover bikes that look like the identical design as these first featured within the animated Killer of Killers collection.

Skulls within the Trophy Room – Aboard the ship of Dek’s brother, a wall of cranium trophies is featured. Most look to be generic alien beasts, although a human cranium and backbone is notably featured, in addition to a T. Rex cranium. Likewise, one of many central alien skulls appears to be like to belong to a Harvester from Independence Day.

The Predator’s Signature Plasmacaster – First proven utilized by Dek’s father with the basic tri-laser concentrating on techniques, the plasmacaster/shoulder cannon is arguably essentially the most signature Predator weapon in your entire franchise. Nonetheless, Predator: Badlands provides the weapon a novel natural improve by the film’s finish, with Dek utilizing a dwelling, acid-spitting lizard creature to function an improvised plasmacaster.

Yautja Language – Whereas Thia implements a common translator to speak with Dek in English, the language spoken by Dek is a totally developed Yautja language, as director Dan Trachtenberg employed linguist Paul Frommer, who additionally developed the Na’vi language for James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.

Weyland Yutani Company – Thia confirms her standing as a synth employed by the Weyland-Yutani Company, the foremost firm first launched within the Alien franchise as key antagonists (past the lethal alien Xenomorphs themselves).

Thia’s Eyes – When deactivated, the again of Thia’s eyes are proven with the basic Weyland-Yuyani emblem imprinted on them. The identical was featured on Andy’s eyes, a predominant synth who first appeared in 2024’s Alien: Romulus.

“Haven’t Cracked Sublight Pace” – Questioning Dek about his ship and its skill to realize sub-light journey, Thia confirms that humanity has but to crack the expertise, connecting to the Alien franchise’s frequent use of cryostasis for its deep-space crews, and its use of synths to handle ship operations throughout lengthy expeditions.

Predator: Badlands’ Chewbacca & Threepio Inspiration – Dek creates a method to hold the legless Thia on his again, and the parallel to Chewbacca carrying a disassembled C-3PO in The Empire Strikes Again is not any coincidence, having been a key inspiration for the film as confirmed by Trachtenberg himself.

Likewise, Thia’s backside and prime halves of her physique working independently of one another is also thought of one other enjoyable nod to the basic Star Wars droid, like when Threepio’s head and physique had been separated in Assault of the Clones.

XX0552 – That is the species designation given to the harmful beast often known as the Kalisk by the Weyland-Yutani Company. As such, it is not not like the designation for the basic Xenomorph, which is XX121.

MU/TH/UR – Giving directions to Thia’s darker artificial “twin” Tessa, MUTHUR 6000 is the basic supercomputer that offers orders to varied crews and Weyland workers within the Alien franchise.

Nonetheless, we additionally see the quantity 062578 subsequent to MUTHUR’s title in Badlands, which can point out that that is an upgraded mannequin of MUTHUR, contemplating the film is about the furthest within the linked franchises’ respective timelines.

Bio-Weapons Division – It is also confirmed that Thia and Tessa are a part of Weyland’s Bio-Weapons Division, the identical division that made capturing and experimenting Xenomorphs its prime precedence. Nonetheless, it appears to be like as if harnessing the regenerative properties of the Kalisk has change into one other purpose for the division.

Ripping Skulls and Spines – A basic victory transfer celebrating the top of a hunt, Dek is proven ripping skulls and spines from our bodies, most notably with the Bone Bison he cut up in two along with his sword because it charged towards him and Thia.

Nonetheless, the top of the film additionally sees the younger Kalisk named Bud doing the identical transfer to Tessa’s stays, having humorously replicated lots of Dek’s actions and mannerisms all through the film.

Traditional Weyland-Yutani Tools – A number of items of Weyland-Yutani tools are fairly acquainted from the Alien franchise, like the heart beat rifles and the basic sound of their gunfire (although the weapons themselves do appear to be new fashions). Nonetheless, lots of the autos look similar to ones we have seen in earlier tasks (together with one particularly).

“Constructing Higher Worlds” – The basic Weyland-Yutani slogan can be featured in Predator: Badlands, having been first featured in 1986’s Aliens from director James Cameron.

A Traditional Preparation Montage (A Nod To Dutch) – Earlier than the ultimate battle, Dek is proven making ready varied items of armor and weapons, mirroring the identical preparation montage included in 2022’s Prey with Amber Midthunder’s Naru, which in flip was a nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch within the very first Predator film, making ready varied weapons and traps to tackle the Predator searching him within the jungle.

Weyland Does not Study (A Nod To Alien: Earth) – By the top of the Predator: Badlands, it is revealed that the Weyland crew was planning on taking the Kalisk, Dek, and in addition a pattern of the dwelling tree department creature that first attacked Dek shortly after crash-landing on Genna.

This brings to thoughts the disastrous failure of the Weyland-Yutani crew aboard the USCSS Maginot in 2025’s lately concluded Alien: Earth collection from Noah Hawley, which equally had a number of lethal specimens on board earlier than all hell broke unfastened. Within the case of Badlands, Tessa’s crew even made it off the planet.

Tessa’s Large Yellow Loader vs The Kalisk (An Epic Aliens Homage) – The ending of 1986’s Aliens noticed Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley taking over the Xenomorph Queen in a big yellow work loader mech, some of the memorable sci-fi battles of all time.

Remarkably, Predator: Badlands takes that battle to the following stage whereas additionally inverting who we’re rooting for, as Tessa operates a far bigger yellow loader to battle Dek and the highly effective Kalisk (who’s additionally a lot bigger than a Xeno Queen).

Dek’s Mom’s Ship – Seen on the very finish of Predator: Badlands, after Dek kills his father, the Yautja warrior confirmed his mom was aboard the approaching ship on the horizon. Moreover, the ship itself appears to be like to be the identical design because the ships seen on the finish of Trachtenberg’s animated Killer of Killers collection.

Predator: Badlands is now enjoying in theaters from twentieth Century Fox

Launch Date: November 5, 2025
Runtime: 107 minutes
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Writers: Dan Trachtenberg, Patrick Aison, John Thomas, Jim Thomas
Producers: Brent O’Connor, John Davis, Marc Toberoff, Dan Trachtenberg, Ben Rosenblatt