The Predator universe finally got the pulse-check it needed after the surprise success of Prey in 2022. This franchise started way back in 1987 with Predator, a sci-fi action masterpiece that is still easily one of Arnold’s best. Since then, we’ve endured a mixed bag of sequels and crossovers. But director Dan Trachtenberg brought a fresh perspective with Prey, and he’s basically been given the keys to the kingdom ever since.
Trachtenberg has a standalone flick, Predator: Badlands, dropping this November. But last October, it leaked that he’d secretly finished another project meant to bridge the gap. That movie is Predator: Killer of Killers, an adult animated anthology co-directed by Joshua Wassung. Releasing as a Hulu Original, Killer of Killers gives the series a stylistic jolt similar to what Spider-Verse did for Marvel. It sets a high bar for what animation can bring to this world.
Built on an action-heavy script by Micho Robert Rutare and gorgeous visuals from The Third Floor, Killer of Killers jumps through time to follow three different warriors. We get a Viking, a ninja, and a WWII pilot, all fighting in wildly different eras. They are all elite killers in their own right, but they share one massive problem: a technologically advanced alien hunter has decided to turn them into trophies.
The first segment, “The Shield,” is set in 841 AD and follows Ersa (Lindsay LaVanchy), a Valkyrie seeking revenge against a brutal chieftain. Next is “The Sword,” taking us to 1629 feudal Japan where a ninja (Louis Ozawa) faces off against his own brother. Finally, “The Bullet” follows John Torres (Rick Gonzalez), a young Floridian drafted into World War II. It’s a diverse lineup that keeps the pacing tight.
Rutare’s script does a solid job defining these leads, even if the dialogue in “The Bullet” gets a bit clunky. Each story feels unique, touching on themes like vengeance and trauma without slowing down. Fans won’t be disappointed, either; the action is brutal, featuring beautifully choreographed and bloody fight sequences. Each Predator variant feels like a genuine, unique threat rather than a copy-paste villain.
The most impressive part is how Trachtenberg and the team actually tie these three distinct threads together. I won’t spoil it, but the third act takes an unexpected turn that leads into a massive finish. It all ends on a killer final shot that has some pretty big implications for the franchise’s timeline—especially with Trachtenberg steering the ship for the foreseeable future.
Predator: Killer of Killers is arriving with almost zero hype, but it deserves some serious buzz. The inventive storytelling perfectly complements the high-octane action. Plus, the art style is visually stunning, capturing both the historical settings and the raw violence of the Predator mythos perfectly.
