"Predator: Badlands" is the next savage chapter of the insanely popular "Predator" franchise, and it strikes theaters on Nov. 7, 2025. But Marvel Comics has an extra treat for fans after witnessing the slaughter on the big screen in the form of a special prequel one-shot comic.
Landing in comic shops and digital outlets on Nov. 12, "Predator: Badlands #1" is an official tie-in title produced in partnership with the film's director, Dan Trachtenberg ("Prey"). Weirdly, that means this prequel that adds context to the movie will be coming out five days after the movie hits theaters.
It's penned by Ethan Sacks ("Star Wars: Bounty Hunters," "Star Wars: Jango Fett") with interior art from up-and-coming illustrator Elvin Ching, who was recently discovered via Marvel's Art Atelier program.
"For a writer who grew up a lifelong fan of the 'Predator' franchise, there is no bigger game than the chance to hunt with the Yautja," Sacks shared in a press release.
"Working hand in hand with the filmmakers behind 'Predator: Badlands,' we made sure this prequel story fits into the cinematic saga like a puzzle piece. It's going to give fans a deeper, richer experience – especially when they get to feast their eyes on Elvin Ching's art."
"Predator: Badlands #1" will act as a bonus backstory to the events seen in the upcoming feature film starring Elle Fanning (Thia) and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (Dek), where the unlikely pair must unite to survive on the hostile planet Kalisk to hunt down the world’s most indomitable adversary.
The comic's plotline unfolds directly prior to the movie’s narrative, revealing more about the young outcast Yautja and other characters who play key roles in the cinematic story, as Dek is sent on a mission by his father to retrieve technology from inside an old, crashed spaceship.
"'Badlands' is the first Predator movie to draw inspiration so heavily from the comic books. So it's with great delight that you and I now get to look at splash pages, from the minds of Ethan and Elvin, of a formative adventure for our characters that serves as a perfect companion to the film," Trachtenberg adds. "Dek kicking ass in his very own comic book is a dream come true."
Marvel's "Predator: Badlands #1" hits comic shops on November 12, 2025, while Predator Badlands will be in theaters worldwide on November 7, 2025.
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