{"id":274314,"date":"2025-11-10T00:23:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T00:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/274314\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T00:23:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T00:23:13","slug":"weekend-box-office-predator-badlands-tops-the-market-with-franchise-record-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/274314\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekend Box Office: PREDATOR: BADLANDS Tops the Market with Franchise Record Debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\n A scene from 20th Century Studios’ PREDATOR: BADLANDS film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. \u00a9 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. <\/p>\n

Key Takeaways<\/p>\n

Total 3-Day Weekend Gross:
$83,027,858 | +33.7% Last Week \/ +17.1% Weekend 45, 2024<\/p>\n

Finally, some good news. 20th Century\u2019s Predator: Badlands opened on-par with last year\u2019s hit Alien: Romulus, debuting to a franchise record $40M on top of positive reviews and audience reactions. Accounting for nearly half of the overall box office total, Badlands was aided by several middling newcomers on top of solid holdovers to give us our first year-over-year victory in weeks, topping this frame in 2024 when Venom: The Last Dance held court at #1 for a third time. <\/p>\n

Top Title:\u00a0Predator: Badlands\u00a0(20th Century) | $40M \/ 3,725 Screens \/ $10,738 PSA | Week 1<\/p>\n

Top Opener:\u00a0Predator: Badlands\u00a0(20th Century) | $40M \/ 3,725 Screens \/ $10,738 PSA | Week 1<\/p>\n

Best PSA:\u00a0Sentimental Value\u00a0(Neon) | $200K \/ 4 Screens \/ $50,000 PSA | Week 1<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Predator: Badlands
20th Century Studios | NEWS
$40M 3-Day Opening Weekend | $80M Global Total<\/p>\n

After low initial tracking, 20th Century Studios\u2019\u00a0Predator: Badlands\u00a0broke out with an impressive estimated $40M debut on 3,725 screens for a $10,738 per-screen average. While the film was always expected to be #1 with no new major competition, this performance represents an over-index of at least $10M above our own forecasts. If the number stays thereabouts come Monday, it would represent the biggest unadjusted debut for any film in the nearly four-decade-old Predator franchise, besting AVP: Alien Vs. Predator\u2018s $38.29M domestic bow from 2004.<\/p>\n

It is also in the same ballpark as the 2024 reboot Alien: Romulus ($42M opening\/$10,812 PSA), which bodes well for the health of both franchises. Like Romulus, Badlands is currently on pace to cross $100M stateside. The new franchise flick also tipped it in the net for Disney to become the second $4B studio of the year after WB, with $4.070B earned globally.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the 3-Day looked, including $4.8M from Thursday previews (above The Predator\u2018s $2.5M Thursday preview)\u2026<\/p>\n

Friday \u2013 $15.6M<\/p>\n

Saturday \u2013 $14.3M<\/p>\n

Sunday \u2013 $10.1M<\/p>\n

Both 2010\u2019s\u00a0Predators\u00a0and 2018\u2019s\u00a0The Predator\u00a0opened to around $24M each, and both finished at a disappointing $51-$52M, which this new one will surpass before the next frame. Some of Badlands\u2018 success can logically be chalked up to being an accessible standalone story with ties to the Alien franchise, while also rocking a more tween\/teen-friendly PG-13. The history of traditionally R-rated franchises pivoting to PG-13 is awash in disappointment (Conan the Destroyer, RoboCop 3, Terminator: Salvation, Live Free or Die Hard, etc). However, AvP already demonstrated that ratings flexibility two decades ago, plus director Dan Trachtenberg deliberately created a scenario of total non-human violence to fit the rating while maintaining the series\u2019 trademark intensity. With an alien and a robot in the lead, a lack of F-bombs was also inconspicuous.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the biggest factor, though, was word-of-mouth. Positive buzz on social media began spreading heading into Friday that Trachtenberg had hit another home run after the much-loved Hulu-exclusive Predator prequel Prey. Rotten Tomatoes critical was a Certified Fresh 85%, while audience rating was higher at 95% plus a franchise-best \u201cA-\u201d CinemaScore. PostTrak rating was 4.5 out of 5 stars, but even more surprising was the 5\/5 stars from kid and parent groupings which would normally not factor into the gory franchise (91% total positive).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the format split went\u2026<\/p>\n

2D \u2013 83%<\/p>\n

Traditional 2D \u2013 41%
PLF 2D \u2013 26%
IMAX 2D \u2013 13%
Motion 2D \u2013 1%
ScreenX \u2013 2%<\/p>\n

3D \u2013 17%<\/p>\n

Traditional 3D \u2013 8%
PLF 3D \u2013 3%
IMAX 3D \u2013 2%
Motion 3D \u2013 4%<\/p>\n

The film skewed male at 73% vs 27% female despite the female lead in Elle Fanning. Even with the accessible PG-13 rating, audiences 17 and under only made up 6% of ticket buyers, with the majority (47%) in the coveted 18-34 group. Older fans of the aging franchise also came out with a quarter of the audience among the 45 and over crowd. Here\u2019s how demographics played out\u2026<\/p>\n

Caucasian \u2013 40%<\/p>\n

Hispanic \u2013 28%<\/p>\n

AA \u2013 17%<\/p>\n

Asian \u2013 8%<\/p>\n

NatAm\/Other \u2013 7%<\/p>\n

On the global front, Predator: Badlands\u2018 $80M WW projection also represents a franchise-best, beating The Predator\u2018s $73.5M WW bow in 2018. Overseas, it was dead-even with domestic at $40.0M from 52 material territories. In the IMAX format the movie made $10.8M globally, with $5.9M in North America (15% of the domestic bow).<\/p>\n

Predator: Badlands \u2013 Opening Weekend
Top Ten Overseas Markets
China | $7.4M
UK | $3.2M
Mexico | $2.3M
France | $1.8M
Japan | $1.7M
Australia | $1.6M
Korea | $1.6M
Germany | $1.5M
Spain | $1.4M
Brazil | $1.1M<\/p>\n

Other Notable Performances<\/p>\n

Amazon\/MGM\u2019s true story Sarah\u2019s Oil, about a young black girl in 1900\u2019s Oklahoma who strikes oil on her land, was the second-biggest new release of the weekend with $4.45M from 2,410 screens for a $1,850 PSA. Zachary Levi and Naya Desir-Johnson star in the #4 movie. <\/p>\n

Sony\u2019s story of the post-WWII Hermann G\u00f6ring trial, Nuremberg placed at #5 with an estimated $4M from 1,802 screens for a $2,220 PSA. Critical was so-so at 68%, so don\u2019t expect too much Oscar love despite gold statue winners Russell Crowe and Rami Malek in the leads. <\/p>\n

Mubi\u2019s dark dramedy Die My Love earned no momentum opening at #8 despite two enormous stars in Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, taking in a paltry $2.8M from 1,983 screens for a $1,428 PSA. The Lynn Ramsey film earned fairly positive notices with Rotten Tomatoes critical at 77%, but audience score was 45% while CinemaScore proved disastrous with a \u201cD+\u201d showing. <\/p>\n

Next Weekend<\/p>\n

Things begin to heat up next frame starting with Paramount\u2019s big bet on Glen Powell, who leads director Edgar Wright\u2019s action-packed Stephen King adaptation The Running Man (previously made in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring). As if one splashy big budget tentpole wasn\u2019t enough, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson return for a third rogue magician film titled Now You See Me: Now You Don\u2019t. The previous two Lionsgate entries opened to $29M and $22M, respectively. Director Oz Perkins and his preferred label Neon also bring a contained horror story called Keeper, made during a hiatus on his hit The Monkey and featuring that movie\u2019s star Tatiana Maslany.<\/p>\n

Sunday Studio Estimates | Weekend 45 \u2013 2025
Total 3-Day Domestic Gross: $83,027,858 | (+17.1% vs 2024)<\/p>\n

Title
\nWeekend Estimate
\n% Change
\nLocations
\nLocation Change
\nPSA
\nDomestic Total
\nWeek
\nDistributor<\/p>\n

Predator: Badlands
\n$40,000,000
\n\u00a0
\n3,725
\n\u00a0
\n$10,738
\n40,000,000
\n1
\n20th Century\u2026<\/p>\n

Regretting You
\n$7,125,000
\n-9%
\n3,196
\n-229
\n$2,229
\n38,596,000
\n3
\nParamount Pi\u2026<\/p>\n

Black Phone 2
\n$5,300,000
\n-36%
\n2,943
\n-362
\n$1,801
\n70,109,000
\n4
\nUniversal<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s Oil
\n$4,458,000
\n\u00a0
\n2,410
\n\u00a0
\n$1,850
\n4,458,000
\n1
\nAmazon MGM S\u2026<\/p>\n

Nuremberg
\n$4,000,000
\n\u00a0
\n1,802
\n\u00a0
\n$2,220
\n4,000,000
\n1
\nSony Picture\u2026<\/p>\n

Chainsaw Man \u2014 The Movie: Reze Arc
\n$3,600,000
\n-42%
\n2,285
\n-718
\n$1,575
\n38,031,000
\n3
\nSony Pictures<\/p>\n

Bugonia
\n$3,500,000
\n-30%
\n2,043
\nn\/c
\n$1,713
\n12,310,000
\n3
\nFocus Features<\/p>\n

Die, My Love
\n$2,830,924
\n\u00a0
\n1,983
\n\u00a0
\n$1,428
\n2,830,924
\n1
\nMUBI<\/p>\n

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
\n$2,200,000
\n-42%
\n2,200
\n-1,260
\n$1,000
\n20,396,290
\n3
\n20th Century\u2026<\/p>\n

Tron: Ares
\n$1,800,000
\n-41%
\n1,970
\n-605
\n$914
\n71,260,727
\n5
\nWalt Disney<\/p>\n

Christy
\n$1,305,000
\n\u00a0
\n2,011
\n\u00a0
\n$649
\n1,305,000
\n1
\nBlack Bear P\u2026<\/p>\n

Back to the Future
\n$950,000
\n-81%
\n1,356
\n-934
\n$701
\n224,379,000
\n2,106
\nUniversal<\/p>\n

One Battle After Another
\n$870,000
\n-27%
\n403
\n-501
\n$2,159
\n69,350,000
\n7
\nWarner Bros.<\/p>\n

Stitch Head
\n$825,000
\n-59%
\n1,605
\n-557
\n$514
\n3,868,935
\n2
\nBriarcliff E\u2026<\/p>\n

Good Fortune
\n$605,000
\n-58%
\n746
\n-1,404
\n$811
\n16,140,566
\n4
\nLionsgate<\/p>\n

Roofman
\n$445,000
\n-56%
\n545
\n-945
\n$817
\n22,346,000
\n5
\nParamount Pi\u2026<\/p>\n

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infi\u2026
\n$275,000
\n-27%
\n221
\n-169
\n$1,244
\n133,547,000
\n9
\nSony Pictures<\/p>\n

Sentimental Value
\n$200,000
\n\u00a0
\n4
\n\u00a0
\n$50,000
\n200,000
\n1
\nNeon<\/p>\n

It Was Just an Accident
\n$192,000
\n-9%
\n119
\n32
\n$1,613
\n873,646
\n4
\nNeon<\/p>\n

Gabby\u2019s Dollhouse: The Movie
\n$125,000
\n-50%
\n220
\n-359
\n$568
\n31,872,000
\n7
\nUniversal<\/p>\n

Truth & Treason
\n$93,616
\n-68%
\n178
\n-475
\n$526
\n5,953,972
\n4
\nAngel Studios<\/p>\n

Soul on Fire
\n$90,000
\n-49%
\n275
\n-176
\n$327
\n7,340,000
\n5
\nSony Pictures<\/p>\n

Shelby Oaks
\n$85,000
\n-89%
\n200
\n-1,508
\n$425
\n4,400,918
\n3
\nNeon<\/p>\n

If I Had Legs I\u2019d Kick You
\n$60,995
\n-65%
\n112
\n-149
\n$545
\n1,009,056
\n5
\nA24<\/p>\n

The Bad Guys 2
\n$55,000
\n-15%
\n109
\n-48
\n$505
\n82,547,000
\n15
\nUniversal<\/p>\n

Peter Hujar\u2019s Day
\n$47,100
\n\u00a0
\n4
\n\u00a0
\n$11,775
\n47,100
\n1
\nJanus Films<\/p>\n

Mistress Dispeller
\n$9,464
\n-37%
\n5
\n1
\n$1,893
\n54,869
\n3
\nOscilloscope\u2026<\/p>\n

Natchez
\n$9,026
\n\u00a0
\n1
\n\u00a0
\n$9,026
\n9,026
\n1
\nOscilloscope\u2026<\/p>\n

CatVideoFest 2025
\n$6,898
\n216%
\n6
\n4
\n$1,150
\n1,031,734
\n15
\nOscilloscope\u2026<\/p>\n

Peacock
\n1,045
\n32%
\n2
\nn\/c
\n$523
\n16,635
\n8
\nOscilloscope\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A scene from 20th Century Studios’ PREDATOR: BADLANDS film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. \u00a9 2025 20th…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":274315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[64,63,134,344],"class_list":{"0":"post-274314","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-movies","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-movies"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/274315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}