Set Visit Articles

[ace3g]

https://x.com/screenrant/status/1975230082407940161

[Darkness]

Some interesting quotes.

I take it this is referring to Bud.

To highlight this, Gillis passed around a silicone model of Predator: Badlands' lovable yet deadly new monster sidekick, Squirt. "So one of the ideas we had was, what if [Dek]... finds a life form that is this sort of snake-like character that he can coax, somehow train, that sits on his shoulder, and it has this ability to spit two chemicals that when they combine in the air, they become explosive and fiery. So that's what got him nicknamed Squirt."

Here are some of the weapons and gadgets we were able to see on set:

The Predators' glowing red sword
The Predators' glowing red bow and arrow
Predator sniper rifle
Thia's earpiece to download information, a tool to heal herself, and a syringe to extract Yautja blood
Plasma caster
Bandoliers with Cryo Grenades

However, we'll also see the Predators' ability to improvise and adapt the world around them into weapons of destruction. At one point, "[Dek] comes across a vulture and he cuts the beak off... and then uses that, cuts it down, and he puts it onto his gauntlet. ... He's starting to introduce some of the natural fauna into his weapons." Dek may be small, but he's smart, and that's one way he's greatly underestimated.

It isn't just nearby animals and objects that Dek and Thia unconventionally use in battle. Stunt Coordinator Jacob Tomuri described a scene in which Thia uses various parts of her severed body in battle: "There's a sequence where Thia's legs make her way back to the Thia torso... and they come across the synths. So the legs and the torso work together like a buddy fight. ... I can't say I've ever seen this before in anything."

It confirms the rating as PG13.

If all goes according to plan, Badlands will be the first Predator movie with a PG-13 rating rather than R. "Our hope for it is that it can be a PG-13 that feels like an R. That's kind of our hope... being able to broaden out the audience for a movie like this." With no human blood amid all the action, avoiding that R rating becomes more justified.

Badlands' bold new path doesn't just apply to getting the under-18 crowd into theaters, however. It goes deeper for Trachtenberg, who wanted to make an action movie his mom would enjoy:

[Preydator]

Extremely interesting read. I'm not particularly worried about the PG-13 rating, since it appears it will mostly be about Dek murdering the entirety of the extraterrestrial fauna of Genna, so they can get away with it. I'm just hoping we'll get some cool kills!

[NoStyleDutch]

Trying to decide if I find this quote, critiquing the orignal movie, insulting or not. Maybe I'm misreading it. lol

"The original Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring hit was a clear product of its time, combining Cold War tensions, fears around technological advancement, and an underdog action story much like contemporary sci-fi horrors The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). With soldiers being hunted by a Yautja in the jungle, it's difficult to ignore the themes related to American imperialism and the concept of dehumanizing enemies in battle.

However, the Predator franchise has since adapted with the times to apply those themes to the current political and cultural climate. For instance, Predator 2 brought the Yautja to the backdrop of 1990 gang warfare in Los Angeles, while the franchise's fifth film, Prey (2022), followed an 18th century young Comanche woman defying gender norms to prove herself as a hunter."

[Coolertonic7]

To highlight this, Gillis passed around a silicone model of Predator: Badlands' lovable yet deadly new monster sidekick, Squirt. "So one of the ideas we had was, what if [Dek]... finds a life form that is this sort of snake-like character that he can coax, somehow train, that sits on his shoulder, and it has this ability to spit two chemicals that when they combine in the air, they become explosive and fiery. So that's what got him nicknamed Squirt."

I think Bud might be his marketing name, because they probably thought that it would be awkward to market a character named squirt.

[Preydator]

To highlight this, Gillis passed around a silicone model of Predator: Badlands' lovable yet deadly new monster sidekick, Squirt. "So one of the ideas we had was, what if [Dek]... finds a life form that is this sort of snake-like character that he can coax, somehow train, that sits on his shoulder, and it has this ability to spit two chemicals that when they combine in the air, they become explosive and fiery. So that's what got him nicknamed Squirt."

I think Bud might be his marketing name, because they probably thought that it would be awkward to market a character named squirt.

Or maybe Squirt was his name last year during production?

[exorcissy72]

Trying to decide if I find this quote, critiquing the orignal movie, insulting or not. Maybe I'm misreading it. lol

"The original Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring hit was a clear product of its time, combining Cold War tensions, fears around technological advancement, and an underdog action story much like contemporary sci-fi horrors The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). With soldiers being hunted by a Yautja in the jungle, it's difficult to ignore the themes related to American imperialism and the concept of dehumanizing enemies in battle.

However, the Predator franchise has since adapted with the times to apply those themes to the current political and cultural climate. For instance, Predator 2 brought the Yautja to the backdrop of 1990 gang warfare in Los Angeles, while the franchise's fifth film, Prey (2022), followed an 18th century young Comanche woman defying gender norms to prove herself as a hunter."

I don't think it's insulting at all. It's more just describing how the franchise has changed with the times and is now exploring different themes than the original.

[Yautja Lore]

Trying to decide if I find this quote, critiquing the orignal movie, insulting or not. Maybe I'm misreading it. lol

"The original Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring hit was a clear product of its time, combining Cold War tensions, fears around technological advancement, and an underdog action story much like contemporary sci-fi horrors The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). With soldiers being hunted by a Yautja in the jungle, it's difficult to ignore the themes related to American imperialism and the concept of dehumanizing enemies in battle.

However, the Predator franchise has since adapted with the times to apply those themes to the current political and cultural climate. For instance, Predator 2 brought the Yautja to the backdrop of 1990 gang warfare in Los Angeles, while the franchise's fifth film, Prey (2022), followed an 18th century young Comanche woman defying gender norms to prove herself as a hunter."

I don't think it's insulting at all. It's more just describing how the franchise has changed with the times and is now exploring different themes than the original.

Agreed

[Coolertonic7]

Or maybe Squirt was his name last year during production?

True. But it would be funny if they call it squirt in the movie and not Bud.

[Corporal Hicks]

Extremely interesting read. I'm not particularly worried about the PG-13 rating, since it appears it will mostly be about Dek murdering the entirety of the extraterrestrial fauna of Genna, so they can get away with it. I'm just hoping we'll get some cool kills!

That was my initial reaction to that possibility too - but then I remember that also being copium when it came to AvP's rating. I do hope we get some good intensity of creature gore in this.

So Bud/Squirt is a baby dragon??  I still remain apprehensive of his inclusion. Fingers crossed it works!

New bts still I think ?



It's confirmed that the skull on the trophy wall is absolutely an ID4 reference.

After Fanning finished, we got to climb aboard the ship and analyze the intricate details on every wall and crevice, including the trophy room filled with skulls of the Predators' past kills. In addition to a dinosaur skull, Ben Rosenblatt told me his favorite Easter egg on the ship is the skull of an alien from the 1996 sci-fi movie Independence Day, begging the question of whether a crossover movie is in order.

This set visit keeps going on about Dek only having one eye??? Have we missed this?

[RoguePred1987]

The potential PG-13 rating shouldn't be a shock to anyone at this point. We've known for a long time now there wouldn't be any humans in the movie so, short of some profanity, the R-rating was out the window.

[Coolertonic7]

This set visit keeps going on about Dek only having one eye??? Have we missed this?

I'm going to be pissed at screen rant if that's a spoiler.

[ace3g]

They haven't added the eye patch in post yet.

[Samhain13]

low test

[GreybackElder]

Interesting about the PG-13 rating. Honestly, there are some really great action/fantasy films that are PG-13, the Lord of the Rings come to mind. There is plenty of orc dismemberment which makes it feel less kid friendly. I guess my point is an R movie doesn't automatically equal good movie. Sure, it would feel more of a predator movie if it was an R rating although if it's good or great I can give it a pass.