It won’t take too long for the Yautja to return after Predator: Badlands. Following a series of divisive sequels to the iconic 1987 Predator, the Predator franchise entered a renaissance with 2022’s Prey, which preceded the animated Predator: Killer of Killers and the smaller-scale live-action movie Predator: Badlands. Naturally, Dan Trachtenberg’s recent hits open the door for new projects set in the same universe.
The Predator franchise has also been thriving in the comic book world. Marvel Comics acquired the license to Predator in 2020, which led to the release of its mainline Predator run, plus crossovers like Predator vs Wolverine, Predator vs Black Panther, Predator vs Spider-Man, Predator: Red, White, and Blood, and Predator Kills the Marvel Universe. That’s not all, however, as 2026 will see the arrival of an epic Yautja event.
The Yautja Enter A Martian Arts Tournament In 2026’s Predator: Bloodshed
Predator: Bloodshed; Written by Jordan Morris; Art by Roland Boschi
Predator: Red, White & Blood writer Jordan Morris and Rogue Storm artist Roland Boschi team up to create the next entry in Marvel’s Predator comics. Set to release in February 25, 2026, Predator: Bloodshed will center around a martial arts tournament where a Yautja warrior intends to destroy his competition. An exciting mix of high-octane, gory action and classic martial arts spectacle will please Predator fans across five issues.
Fighting tournaments are enjoying a return following the peak of their popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Marvel Comics’ Battleworld recreates the Beyonder’s original Secret Wars battle test and DC’s DC K.O. pits all major heroes and villains against each other. In 2026, Legendary’s Street Fighter and Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat II movies will feature a similar kind of no-holds-barred fighting competition that Predator: Bloodshed will present in Marvel’s comic.
2025 & 2026 Are Special Years For The Predator Franchise
There’s Plenty Of Material For Predator Fans To Enjoy
Marvel’s Predator comics have added tremendous depth to the franchise by placing the Yautja against some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes. Predator vs. Wolverine, Predator vs. Black Panther, and Predator vs. Spider-Man explore how the hunters adapt to vastly different warriors, while Predator: Red, White, and Blood focuses on the Yautja’s mythic brutality. Predator Kills the Marvel Universe features a wild continuity-shaking escalation that serves as the Yautja’s ultimate test of power in Marvel continuity.
Predator: Badlands proves the franchise can evolve far beyond the original “hunter vs. prey” formula by exploring a unique alien setting and unique character dynamics not involving humans. Its emphasis on the Yautja’s heroism shows how the Predator concept can thrive with a vastly different concept. Marvel’s Predator: Badlands comic prequel further illustrates how the franchise can function as a multimedia universe, where films and comics coexist.
A third Predator film from Dan Trachtenberg could push the franchise into even more experimental directions. Trachtenberg’s talent for reinventing the formula could introduce bold new settings and protagonists in both live-action and animation. Meanwhile, Marvel Comics could continue developing similarly daring stories that work more effectively in comic book format.
Predator: Bloodshed #1 is available February 25, 2026 from Marvel Comics.
- Created by
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Jim Thomas, John Thomas
- First Film
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Predator
- Cast
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Carl Weathers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Peter Hall, Peter Cullen, Derek Mears, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins, Françoise Yip, Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers
- Movie(s)
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Predator, Predator 2, Predators, Predator, Prey