‘Predator: Badlands’ casts deadly monster as the hero

The latest “Predator” movie flips the script. For the first time, audiences will be rooting for the monster in “Predator: Badlands.”

The film, opening in theaters Friday, centers on a predator named Dek, who, ostracized by his clan, seeks to prove himself by hunting an un-killable creature on the most dangerous planet in the universe.

“Every plant, every tree is trying to kill you,” explained Elle Fanning who plays a pair of humanoid robots, Thia, who seeks to assist Dek and Tessa, who is far more dangerous.

“I love that Tessa’s kind of the baddie,” Fanning told On The Red Carpet. “To get to play a little evil was very fun, honestly… But Thia, gosh, she’s so optimistic and has this like, comedic side to her that I loved and I felt like I could be very playful with her and, so yeah, she’s probably my favorite.”

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi who plays Dek told On The Red Carpet this movie may make audiences start seeing the predators in a new light.

“We have never seen a predator be an underdog, right? Or the vulnerable kind of character. They’re always portrayed in all the previous films as the apex,” he said. “It’ll be interesting to see how people react to this film but also the past films as well.”

The film’s director, Dan Trachtenberg agreed.

“We’ve been going to the theaters forever now and have fallen in love with the creatures that are the sidekicks, or the monstrous villains, and they’ve never really been the hero, ” Trachtenberg told On The Red Carpet. “It’s a huge crazy swing that is filled with action and suspense, but also a heaping dose of heart as well.”

“Predator: Badlands” opens in theaters Friday, Nov. 7.