By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson | AMFM Magazine | December 2025
In a franchise-defining twist, Predator: Badlands flips the script: for the first time, a Yautja—here, a young outcast named Dek—is the hero we root for. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey), the film plunges viewers into a hostile alien world filled with deadly flora, savage beasts, and unexpected alliances, including one with a Weyland-Yutani synthetic played by Elle Fanning. Released in theaters last month to strong reviews and box office success, Badlands has reinvigorated the Predator series with its epic scope, emotional depth, and visceral action.
At the heart of this bold new chapter is the score, a collaborative triumph by composers Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch. Schachner, returning after her acclaimed work on Prey (which earned her an Emmy nomination), teamed up with Wallfisch (Alien: Romulus, It) to craft a sound that’s both brutal and surprisingly heartfelt. In an exclusive chat on AMFM’s Draw Another Line podcast, Schachner sat down with host Paul Salfen to discuss the creative chaos behind the music, incorporating Predator language into chants, and why this project felt like a “Hail Mary” worth taking.
“I am very excited,” Schachner told Salfen. “I love this movie. It’s just so unique, and I can’t wait for people to experience it.” She was blown away by the footage early on: “I was just like, Holy shit. This is kind of crazy.”
What sets Badlands apart? “It’s a very unique, different Predator film where [the Predator]is the protagonist and there’s synthetic characters and it’s all on an alien planet.” Trachtenberg, a huge gamer himself, infused the film with video game-inspired energy, making it resonate especially with younger audiences.
The collaboration with Trachtenberg was intensely hands-on. “He really lets me do my thing when it comes to the sounds or the themes,” Schachner explained, “but when it comes to how it lays to picture, he is so creative and hands-on.” The process was non-linear: cues chopped, rearranged, and blended in unexpected ways.
One standout element is integrating the Predator’s guttural language into the score. Inspired by vocoder work from the canceled game Anthem, Schachner explored turning clicks and grunts into musical phrases. “I found a couple phrases… in the opening of the movie, you kind of hear this chant and it means something along the lines of ‘go forth into the stars.’ And then there’s a different iteration… ‘go forth and kill.'” These mantras underscore Dek’s journey as the “runt of the litter”—an underdog story Schachner found musically thrilling.
The score is eclectic, balancing “brutal action,” sensitive bonds, and even humor. “Underneath it all, the music does not take itself too seriously. It’s meant to be fun,” she said. “That’s what I hope people come away with—that the movie is such a fun experience.”
For aspiring composers, Schachner’s advice is straightforward: “Put in that time to learn the craft… find your own voice… Someone will notice.” Her own “Hail Mary” moments have led to projects like Badlands, which she calls “creatively fertile and exciting.”
With a solo album and collaborations on the horizon, Schachner isn’t slowing down. As for more Predator adventures? Fans can only hope.
Predator: Badlands is now playing in theaters. The soundtrack, featuring the combined talents of Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch, is available on all major streaming platforms.
