Vulture (Predator: Badlands)

In-Universe Details
Homeworld	Genna
Size	Large, with broad wingspan
Abilities	Flight, Environmental Manipulation, High Intelligence
Weakness	Close-quarters melee attack
Diet	Carnivorous
Production Details
Appears In	Predator: Badlands (2025)
Created By	Weta FX

The Vulture is a large, airborne predator native to the planet Genna. It appears in the 2025 film, Predator: Badlands.

Appearance and Biology

The Vulture is a flying reptilian creature having a massive wingspan and an elongated tail. Its body features red and white colouring. Specifically, the wings are predominantly white/pale grey with striking red patterns. It also possesses a distinctive pointed crest on the back of its head. It is a large creature, capable of carrying objects over long distances to its nest.

Role in Predator: Badlands

The Vulture first encounters the Yautja hunter Dek when his pod crash-lands on Genna, immediately attacking the vessel and cracking the glass before flying off.

Prior to Dek’s arrival, the Weyland-Yutani synthetic Thia was severed in half during an attack by a Kalisk. A Vulture later carried Thia to its nest, high up near the poisonous Puffer Plants. Thia eventually became immobilised, stuck in the hardened sap from the surrounding flora.

Dek later finds Thia trapped in the nest. These Puffer plants emit a toxic pink mist and expel paralysing needles when disturbed. The Vulture deliberately drops rocks onto the Puffer Plants. This action causes targeted explosions, with the Vulture using the Plants to attack Dek.

Thia warns Dek about the paralysing needles. Despite his attempts to evade the explosions, Dek is eventually hit by a venomous needle and collapses. Before losing consciousness, he manages to throw a shuriken at Thia to free herself.

As the Vulture swoops towards the vulnerable Dek, Thia, now free, pounces on the bird from above and kills it with Dek’s shuriken, saving the Yautja.

Abilities

• Flight: The creature is a powerful airborne predator, capable of flight and carrying significant weight.

• Intelligence: Instead of attacking prey head-on, it was observed to use the highly toxic Puffer Plants to its advantage. By dropping rocks into the fields of flora, it created targeted explosions that released paralysing needles.

Behind The Scenes

The creature was brought to life by Weta FX.