Disney Marketing in Hot Water Over Predator: Badlands Ad

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Disney is once again dealing with criticism, this time regarding its marketing for the movie Predator: Badlands. UK regulators have criticized the studio for a digital advertisement that reportedly frightened children.

This new issue arises as the film was already performing poorly in theaters, and is now expected to lose around $80 million.

UK Regulator Slams “Severed Body” Ad

Disney received a warning from the UK’s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), regarding a promotional video. The video showed a character named Dek (played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) appearing to hold a severed body, which was actually the character Thia (played by Elle Fanning).

The picture depicted the Predator holding a bisected creature, its spine clearly visible. Below the image was the phrase: “Welcome to a world of hurt.”

The advertising regulator, ASA, banned the ad after receiving complaints that it was scary and upsetting for children. They determined it was likely to frighten or disturb young viewers.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) noted that while the creators of the ad stated the smaller figure wasn’t a human but a robot, this wasn’t obvious to viewers. The ASA believed people would likely assume it was a person. They also found the realistic image of the figure’s damaged body – specifically the severed torso and exposed spine – to be excessively graphic and potentially upsetting for young children.

Disney Says It Was a “Synth,” Not a Human

Disney explained to the advertising regulator that the character shown being cut apart wasn’t a person, but a robot – a ‘synth’.

The company explained the image only flashed on screen for under two seconds in a ten-second trailer, and it was suitable for the movie’s content and overall style.

A Disney representative stated that they accept the ASA’s decision. They emphasized their commitment to responsible content and working with collaborators to ensure it meets the necessary guidelines.

PG-13 Strategy Backfires

The movie Predator: Badlands was given a PG-13 rating, suggesting the filmmakers wanted to appeal to a wider, younger audience than previous Predator films, which were rated R.

As a huge fan, I always thought it was clever how they handled the violence in the film. They made the creatures the Predators were fighting synthetic, not actual humans. This allowed them to show all the intense Predator action we love without showing graphic human injuries, which is why the movie ended up with a PG-13 rating instead of a more restrictive R one. It was a smart move to keep it accessible to a wider audience!

Okay, so while the creators tried to claim it was clearly a robot, the UK advertising regulators weren’t buying it. They decided a reasonable viewer would see that severed body and assume it was human, no matter what the studio said behind the scenes. Honestly, it really throws a wrench into the argument that it wasn’t meant to be shocking or disturbing.

The PG-13 rating didn’t help ticket sales, and may have even made the film perform worse.

Box Office Bomb and Fallout

The marketing misfire follows the film’s disappointing theatrical run.

The movie Predator: Badlands wasn’t a success, bringing in just $184.5 million worldwide. That’s not enough to even place it among the top five Predator films when adjusted for inflation, and estimates suggest it may have lost around $80 million.

Director Dan Trachtenberg has since signed with Paramount Pictures.

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2026-02-12 04:02