The Mandalorian Meets Shadow Of The Colossus In Disney+'s 100-Minute High Sci-Fi Movie

If there’s one character dynamic that’s stood the test of time in sci-fi movies and TV shows, it’s the pairing of a hardened warrior with a far more vulnerable companion. From Luke and R2D2 in Star Wars through to the T800 and teenage John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a grizzled fighter being emotionally anchored by an empathetic traveling companion has remained remarkably effective. Whether the companion talks or communicates through beeps and gestures, the contrast almost always works.

So ingrained in sci-fi is this odd pairing dynamic that modern takes on the concept don’t really stand out unless they’re something truly special. While the current pop-culture science fiction duo is, of course, The Mandalorian’s Din Djarin and Grogu, another iconic franchise’s 2025 installment quietly does the setup much more justice. This movie is Predator: Badlands, the latest installment in the Predator series which is currently available to stream on Disney+.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, Predator: Badlands follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Yautja hunter, and Thia (Elle Fanning), a legless android who becomes his unlikely ally. While Din Djarin and Grogu remain the defining sci-fi odd couple of the current era, Dek and Thia ultimately share a richer emotional journey thanks to an incredibly unlikely influence.

Predator: Badlands Captures The Spirit Of One Of Gaming’s Most Iconic Pairs

The Predator franchise largely positions its titular hunters as antagonists. Narratives unfolded from the perspective of human characters, while the Yautja existed as terrifying forces of nature. Predator: Badlands completely overturned that formula by placing a Predator, Dek, at the center of the story. To make this work, he was given a companion, Elle Fanning’s Thia, who is far more than a sidekick.

Thia supplies the humanity and perspective Predator: Badlands needs. Without her, Dek would be difficult for audiences to connect with. Through their interactions, however, the Yautja hunter becomes relatable. The fact that their dynamic was so effective didn’t happen by accident. Dan Trachtenberg has openly cited one of gaming’s most acclaimed relationships as a major inspiration, that between the player and their horse in PS2 hit Shadow of the Colossus (via Bloody Disgusting):

“As inspired as I am by movies, I’ve been very inspired by video games [like] Shadow of the Colossus, where you have a protagonist paired with someone else who provides color and connection. There’s a thing with a horse in Shadow of the Colossus that’s devastating when you play the game. And so [Predator: Badlands] was a little bit inspired by that in terms of wanting to see the Predator with someone else, this character who’s the opposite of him. He’s very laconic, [Fanning] is not. She’s capable in ways that he is not.”

The influence of Shadow of the Colossus becomes increasingly apparent as Predator: Badlands progresses. In the game, Wander’s (the player character) connection with Agro (his horse) transforms what could have been a simple quest narrative into something emotionally devastating. Agro grounds the experience, giving players a tangible relationship to invest in amid an otherwise lonely journey.

Thia serves a similar purpose in Predator: Badlands. Dek is an alien hunter raised within a brutal warrior culture, yet his interactions with Thia reveal compassion and insecurity that make him far more relatable. Just as Agro's presence is essential to Shadow of the Colossus being remembered as one of gaming’s most emotionally resonant stories, Thia's role is crucial to making Predator: Badlands far more than a standard action movie.

The Mandalorian Is Beaten At Its Own Game By The Latest Predator Movie

The lone warrior and unconventional companion archetype has existed for decades, but few recent examples have been as successful as Din Djarin and Grogu in The Mandalorian. The entire show, and its 2026 movie spinoff, is built around their relationship. Din begins as a bounty hunter bound by rigid beliefs, while Grogu gradually softens his worldview. Their connection transformed The Mandalorian from a straightforward space western into one of the defining sci-fi shows of the streaming era. Yet for all the pair’s popularity, Predator: Badlands executes the concept more effectively.

One reason for this is that Dek and Thia operate as genuine partners. Neither consistently occupies the role of protector or dependent. Instead, they complement each other in ways that actively drive the narrative forward. By comparison, Din and Grogu remain trapped within the parent-child framework established at the beginning of The Mandalorian. Grogu becomes increasingly capable as the series progresses, but the dynamic rarely evolves beyond Din protecting him. While that relationship remains effective, it can sometimes feel static.

Predator: Badlands also makes stronger use of ideological conflict. Din’s Mandalorian beliefs and Grogu’s Jedi training create an interesting contrast, but the franchise has often struggled to fully explore the implications of those differences. Dek and Thia, meanwhile, approach the world from fundamentally opposing perspectives. His instincts are shaped by honor and hunting traditions, while her programming runs on a very different understanding of morality and connection.

That clash of viewpoints fuels meaningful character growth throughout the 2025 movie. By the time Predator: Badlands ends, Dek and Thia are both genuinely transformed because of each other’s influence. Din and Grogu may be iconic, but Predator: Badlands demonstrates that the familiar warrior-and-companion formula still has room to evolve. Through Dek and Thia, the latest Predator movie takes a well-worn sci-fi trope and delivers one of its strongest modern interpretations, one that The Mandalorian can learn from.