In the expansive “Alien” universe, the infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation is relentless in its pursuit of power and profit, often resorting to dubious means. The company’s executives seem unfazed by the potential global catastrophes they might unleash as they strive to manipulate the Xenomorph species for their own gain. In “Predator: Badlands,” Weyland-Yutani is once again on the prowl, but this time, they’ve set their sights on a new, formidable target.

The story unfolds on the perilous planet Genna, where Dek, a Yautja warrior, encounters Thia (played by Elle Fanning), a synthetic creation of Weyland-Yutani. The corporation is also exploring Genna, eager to capture the Kalisk, a beast of immense power and resilience. This seemingly unstoppable predator can reassemble itself after decapitation, much like a sci-fi T-1000. Yet, with the aid of Predator technology, Thia and her synthetic allies manage to restrain the Kalisk, attempting to transport it off-world. Thankfully, their plan is thwarted, preventing a potential catastrophe: had Weyland-Yutani succeeded, they might have unleashed one of the most terrifying villains in science fiction history.

Consider the implications: Weyland-Yutani is notorious for capturing Xenomorphs to study their evolutionary potential. Imagine if they had succeeded in merging the Kalisk with a Xenomorph. Already difficult to defeat, a Xenomorph with Kalisk DNA would become an unstoppable force. As Bill Paxton’s character Hudson famously exclaimed in “Aliens,” it would be “game over, man!”

Interestingly, despite Weyland-Yutani’s involvement in “Predator: Badlands,” the iconic Xenomorph doesn’t make an appearance. Director Dan Trachtenberg, in an interview with Empire magazine, clarified the decision: “There’s no Xenomorph in this movie,” he stated. “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.”

Despite the presence of Weyland-Yutani in “Predator: Badlands,” the infamous Xenomorph doesn’t make an appearance. Speaking to Empire magazine, director Dan Trachtenberg explained why this is the case. “There’s no Xenomorph in this movie,” he said. “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 makes a lot of sense. While Weyland-Yutani has shown a keen interest in the Xenomorph, it likely has several other interests, too. A creature like the Kalisk is something that would certainly get people talking in the boardroom and have everyone figuring out how they could bring it under the company umbrella. After all, by capturing and studying a seemingly unkillable apex predator, Weyland-Yutani could continue in its quest to create (and sell) the ultimate weapon. It would only be a matter of time before someone recommended combining it with a Xenomorph to see what happened.

Much like in the “Alien” story, the word “consequences” doesn’t mean anything to the big wigs at Weyland-Yutani. While the synthetics follow the instructions of MU/TH/UR and use Predator tech to subdue the Kalisk, not a single thought is given to what happens if the Kalisk breaks free on the ship or elsewhere. The cold hard truth is that Weyland-Yutani will never learn its lesson. Instead, it’s on a one-way trip to destroying the world because it’s blinded by its thirst for profit and power.