Predator: Badlands gets Hideo Kojima Seal of Approval on $40m Opening Weekend

Predator: Badlands came to cinemas last week, and it’s been getting rather positive reviews amongst press and the general public.

The film currently sits with 85% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a “fresh” score, with many critics praising the narrative and performances, as well as the overall direction from Dan Trachtenberg.

On the film’s opening weekend, it grossed $40 million in the US and Canada, and another $40 million in other territories for a total of $80 million, making it one of the strongest openings in the entire Predator franchise.

Fans and viewers have taken to social media to share their opinions on the film, with reactions ranging from positive to negative.

One viewer in particular who gave it the seal of approval was none other than Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima.

Kojima, who frequently posts his film opinions onto his Twitter account like it's his job, wrote that “A few days ago, I threw out my back, so I wasn’t sure I’d make it through to the end watching a movie. But armed with my secret weapon—an inflatable lumbar pillow into the chair—I watched ‘Predator: Badlands.’ A back-friendly 107 minutes! And it was great!”.

Predator: Badlands and Death Stranding 2 share a connection

Predator: Badlands stars Elle Fanning as Thia in a leading role. Kojima had previously worked with Fanning in Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, in which she provided the voice and motion capture performance of the character Tomorrow.

Kojima calls Fanning’s performance “adorable”, before further explaining his feelings about the film.

“‘Failure of the weak, isolation, journey, training, encounter, rebellion, clash, comradeship, betrayal, redemption, reconciliation, unity, revenge, growth, choice, family—and a new threat.’”, he continues. “These elements form the very blueprint of mainstream Japanese manga storytelling, typified by ‘Weekly Shonen Jump.’

“The film also takes heavy visual inspiration from video games. It represents a new direction for Hollywood entertainment led by a new generation of filmmakers who have inherited the global ‘memes’ of manga, anime, and gaming culture.

“I especially hope young anime fans who usually steer clear of live-action Western films will give this one a try. Even with Dek’s “ugly” face, you’ll find yourself emotionally invested from the opening scene. You’ll definitely get hooked.”

Predator: Badlands is out now in cinemas across the world. In addition to Fanning, the film also stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Reuben De Jong, and Mike Homik.