Imagine stepping into one of cinema’s most fearsome alien suits — only to realize you can’t see a thing. That’s exactly what happened to Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, the rising star of Predator: Badlands. While audiences will soon see him as the terrifying Yautja warrior Dek, the actor himself had to perform his scenes in near-total blindness — and the story behind it is both wild and inspiring.
Since the debut of the original Predator film back in 1987, the franchise has been defined by its infamous heat-vision shots and those three ominous red dots that spell disaster for unlucky targets. But here’s where it gets ironic: despite embodying one of the galaxy’s most advanced hunters, Schuster-Koloamatangi had zero high-tech advantage on set. The actor admitted that behind those intimidating mandibles, he couldn’t see a thing.
In a recent interview with SFX Magazine, Schuster-Koloamatangi opened up about the grueling reality of becoming the Yautja. The suit itself was a physical trial — so intense, in fact, that he estimates he lost nearly 15 kilograms during filming. “You’re sweating constantly,” he explained. “And then I had to wear the Predator contact lenses — and those made everything blurry.” Because of that, every shot had to be meticulously choreographed. Before each take, he rehearsed without the lenses so he could memorize his steps, landmarks, and spatial cues. Once the contacts went in, it became a matter of muscle memory — trust the rehearsal and hope for the best.
But here’s the fascinating part most people miss: instead of letting these obstacles frustrate him, Schuster-Koloamatangi turned them into a creative weapon. “My character in the story also faces certain limitations,” he shared, hinting at Dek’s challenges as a lone Yautja stranded on one of the deadliest worlds in the universe. “Those physical struggles actually helped me become him — I used my own difficulties to ground the character in realism.”
This approach did more than just make filming possible — it added a layer of authenticity that fans might feel even through all that armor. And in a poetic twist, his real blindness mirrored the Predator’s one classic weakness on screen: its own moments of literal and figurative vulnerability.
Schuster-Koloamatangi also reflected on joining the Predator legacy — a rite of passage few actors can claim. “Everyone who’s ever played a Predator has dealt with this kind of thing,” he admitted. “When you say yes to this role, you know it comes with insane challenges. Accepting that early on made it easier to commit.” It’s the kind of mindset that separates the tough from the legendary.
And this is where Predator: Badlands really breaks the mold. For the first time, the central Predator isn’t the villain — he’s the protagonist. Dek’s story, paired with his android companion Thia (played by Elle Fanning), promises a fresh and risky new direction for the franchise. The bond between a damaged machine and an alien warrior sounds like a recipe for both action and emotion.
So when Predator: Badlands hits theaters on November 7, 2025, audiences won’t just see jaw-dropping battles — they’ll witness a performer who literally fought through blindness to embody one of science fiction’s most iconic creatures.
But here’s the real question: do you think Predator: Badlands should make the alien hunter a sympathetic hero, or does that risk ruining what made the franchise terrifying in the first place? Drop your thoughts below — because this take is bound to spark debate among longtime fans.
