Predator: Badlands ending explained: Exploring hints for the franchise's future

Predator: Badlands is the latest entry in a franchise that has been running for around five decades. The sci-fi action film is the ninth entry in the series and is directed by Dan Trachtenberg. The screenplay is by Patrick Aison, who has penned the story with Trachtenberg. Its premiere took place at LA's TCL Chinese Theatre. 20th Century Studios has released it on November 7, 2025. Here's the official synopsis as per IMDb:

A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Let us find out how it ends and what might be the future of this franchise.

What is the plot of Predator: Badlands?

Predator: Badlands focuses on a young Predator warrior named Dek, who is from a planet called Yautja Prime. After getting thrown out of his clan for his actions, Dek forms a bond with Thia. The two go on a journey to find a suitable antagonist to face off. It's the first entry in the franchise where a Predator is shown as the protagonist.

How does Predator: Badlands end?

Predator: Badlands establishes Dek as a worthy warrior, but his father, Njohrr, thinks he is weak. He then goes to the Death Planet, Genna, which is filled with dangerous creatures, including Kalisk. Thia gets strapped to his back after losing her legs in a battle with Kalisk. The two then move to find him, while Thia's companion, Tessa, is also tasked with bringing back Kalisk because a corporation plans to make bioweapons with him.

Towards the end, Dek goes through a change of heart and decides to give up on his mission to find Kalisk. Tessa kidnaps Thia; Dek decides to free her. He uses all the high-tech weapons he has acquired on this planet to penetrate the compound of Weyland-Yutani, where Thia is kept. He manages to kill her entire army and even frees Kalisk. He does so because the Bud is actually a baby Kalisk. Dek's efforts lead to the reunion of a mother with her child.

In the climax, Thia manages to get back her legs while Tessa and Dek get involved in a fierce battle. Possessing a large mech suit, Tessa manages to overpower him. That's when Kalisk interrupts and eats Tessa alive. However, inside the stomach, Tessa manages to detonate a bomb, which kills both Tessa and Kalisk.

After this, Dek goes back to his planet to talk to his father Njohrr. The two get into a fight, which ends with Dek killing Njohrr. Despite being the next successor, he declines the offer to head the clan. Dek then proclaims that Bud and Thia are his new clan. The last scene of Predator: Badlands features the three looking at a Predator ship, which apparently belongs to Dek's mother.

The final scene of the film hints at a possible sequel where Dek's mother might have a bigger role in the story. All the other loose ends have been tied up, and it will depend on whether the studio wants to pursue this story or not in the future.