This time, the Predator is one of the good guys. “Predator” franchise installment “Predator: Badlands” turns the trope on its side with the title creature instead helping the lead hero defeat a different threat.

“Predator: Badlands” stars Elle Fanning as Thia, a woman living on a remote planet that befriends a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) who is an outcast from his clan. Together, they “embark on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary,” as the official synopsis reads. “Prey” director Dan Trachtenberg helms the film, with Patrick Aison penning the screenplay.

Trachtenberg told Empire that Fanning was pushed “dramatically, physically, [and] logistically” during production. “She faced intense challenges on this movie,” Trachtenberg said. Internet sleuths have already guessed that in certain frames, Fanning’s Thia could be a Weyland-Yutani android.

Trachtenberg added that “Predator: Badlands” differs from previous franchise films as the alien creature will be “front and center, leading the charge” instead. “He’s still badass, but there’s something there that touches you emotionally, too,” Trachtenberg said of the Predator played by Schuster-Koloamatangi. “Creating a character you connect with, but are also super-intimidated by, has been challenging. But exciting.”

Trachtenberg previously directed “Predator” prequel “Prey,” which debuted on Hulu. “Prey” took place in 1719 and followed an Indigenous woman (Amber Midthunder) who fought for survival against alien invaders. Trachtenberg told Empire that he wanted to “find another essential piece of cinema that does what ‘Prey’ did spiritually — pushing the franchise’s boundaries, letting us root for a hero we rarely get to root for — but in a different way. And that transformed into this big idea of rooting for the Predator.”

The “Predator” franchise began in 1987 with the original movie that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, late actor Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura. A trio of sequels followed, released in 1990, 2010, and 2018, as well as 2004 spin-off “Alien vs. Predator.”

“Predator: Badlands” is produced by Trachtenberg, John Davis, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor. The film will be released in in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX, and premium screens everywhere.

“Predator: Badlands” premieres November 7 in theaters from 20th Century Studios. Check out the teaser below.