**Weyland-Yutani’s Dangerous Pursuit in *Predator: Badlands***
*Contains spoilers for “Predator: Badlands.”*
In the *Alien* franchise, the notorious Weyland-Yutani Corporation has long been synonymous with corporate greed and dangerous ambition. The executives running the company are willing to risk catastrophic consequences in their relentless quest to control the deadly Xenomorph and maximize profits.
*Predator: Badlands* sees Weyland-Yutani up to its old tricks, this time with a new target in its crosshairs.
### A New Frontier: Planet Genna
When Dek, the film’s Yautja protagonist, arrives on the perilous planet Genna, he encounters Thia (played by Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani synthetic. The corporation has been scouting Genna, drawn by the presence of the Kalisk — a seemingly indestructible apex predator. This creature is so formidable that even after Dek severs its head, the Kalisk astonishingly stitches itself back together, reminiscent of an otherworldly T-1000.
Despite this resilience, Tessa (also Elle Fanning) and the other synthetics manage to use Predator technology to subdue the Kalisk and load it onto their ship.
### A Narrow Escape from Catastrophe
Fortunately, the Kalisk does not make it off Genna. Had Weyland-Yutani succeeded in extracting and transporting this creature, the consequences could have been disastrous.
Consider the implications: Weyland-Yutani’s obsession with capturing Xenomorphs involves studying their evolution in hopes of weaponizing them. Now, imagine combining a Xenomorph’s terrifying traits with the Kalisk’s near-invincibility. Such a hybrid would be an unstoppable killing machine, elevating the danger to unprecedented levels.
As Hudson (Bill Paxton) famously put it in *Aliens*, it would be “game over, man!”
### No Xenomorphs—But Weyland-Yutani Still Looms Large
Despite Weyland-Yutani’s presence in *Predator: Badlands*, the iconic Xenomorph does not make an appearance.
Director Dan Trachtenberg addressed this in an interview with *Empire* magazine, stating:
*“There’s no Xenomorph in this movie. But to me, that makes it more exciting. We’re not involving [the ‘Alien’ franchise] just to smush the action figures together. There are great, organic story reasons for Weyland-Yutani to be in this film.”*
This approach makes perfect sense. While Weyland-Yutani’s fascination with the Xenomorph is well known, the corporation’s ambitions extend far beyond one alien species. The Kalisk, as a virtually indestructible apex predator, is precisely the kind of prize that would excite the boardroom and spark new schemes to bring it under the company’s control.
### The Relentless Quest for the Ultimate Weapon
By capturing and studying creatures like the Kalisk, Weyland-Yutani aims to continue developing— and ultimately selling—the ultimate biological weapon. It’s only a matter of time before someone in the company suggests combining Kalisk and Xenomorph DNA, just to see what kind of horror might emerge.
True to form, the corporation shows no regard for possible consequences. While the synthetics follow MU/TH/UR’s directives and use Predator tech to subdue the Kalisk, no one seems to consider what would happen if the creature broke free aboard the ship—or worse, on Earth.
### A Cautionary Tale of Corporate Hubris
Weyland-Yutani’s story is one of unyielding greed and dangerous hubris, blinded by the thirst for power and profit. Much like in the *Alien* saga, warnings and ethical considerations go unheard in favor of pursuing the next big asset, no matter how devastating the fallout.
As *Predator: Badlands* reveals, Weyland-Yutani’s path is a one-way ticket toward potential global destruction—a chilling reminder of the perils of unchecked corporate ambition.
https://www.looper.com/2015576/predator-badlands-weyland-yutani-perfect-xenomorph-kalisk/
