NEW YORK — “Predator: Badlands” led all films in North American theaters with a debut of $40 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, a better-than-expected result that slightly lifted the box office from its autumn doldrums.

On the heels of the worst box office weekend of 2025, “Predator: Badlands” faced little competition from new titles. Not accounting for inflation, the $40 million opening marked a new high for the dreadlocked alien franchise, besting the $38.3 million launch of 2004’s “Alien vs. Predator.”

“Predator: Badlands,” written and directed by Dan Trachtenberg, collected another $40 million overseas for the Walt Disney Co.’s 20th Century Studios. A key factor for “Predator: Badlands” is that, with a budget of $105 million, it’s also the most expensive “Predator” film.

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