Usually, activations at San Diego Comic-Con are announced at least a few weeks in advance. That gives fans an opportunity to prioritize their favorites, map them out, and then hit the ground running. This year though, one major experience seemed to join the party late. That’s Predator Badlands, which took over a huge section attached to the Hard Rock Hotel across from the convention center. Outside, security answered the questions of passersby about when the experience would open. And inside, the experience took you into the world of the movie.
After being greeted by an incredibly large Predator at the entrance, you immediately enter the Predator’s ship. First, as seen in both Predator 2 and the trailer for Badlands, are the trophies of hunts past. Dinosaurs, strange aliens, and doesn’t that look like a skull from Indiana Jones and a head from Independence Day? Probably a coincidence. After you pass a wall of weapons, you enter a Weyland-Yutani lab. There are weapons in there too, but they’re much more human. Inside there’s also the corpse of a woman. Or at least she looks like a woman. She’s got an android’s blood all over her. How many times has this android been remade?
As you exit the room, a very weird, creepy creature leaps out of its container before you enter the grassy area that is supposed to be the planet the film primarily takes place on. There you end your journey by seeing Thia, the Weyland-Yutani synthetic played by Elle Fanning. And she might even talk to you.
Compared to other experiences at Comic-Con, the Predator Badlands one wasn’t quite as memorable, large, or fun as some others, but the attention to detail and teases of what’s to come in the movie were incredibly cool. I left the experience very, very anxious and excited about seeing how this ship, this lab, these worlds, and these characters all fit together.
Here are some more photos from the experience.
Predator Badlands opens in theaters November 7. For Comic-Con attendees, the experience at the Hard Rock is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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