Prey director Dan Trachtenberg finds an inventive way to expand the Predator universe further in Predator: Killer of Killers with co-director Josh Wassung from animation company The Third Floor. The three-part animated anthology boasts stunning Arcane-inspired animation and a commitment to gory action in its bid to explore lethal brawls with the Yautja throughout time, revealing a deep well of potential for the franchise in the process. Killer of Killers functions as a standalone feature, but Trachtenberg continues to push the universe forward in exciting ways.
Killer of Killers begins in 841 AD, in a story titled “Shield,” where shield-maiden Ursa’s (Lindsay LaVanchy) quest for vengeance is well underway amidst harsh winter terrain. A primal battle between two Viking tribes turns into an all-out bloodbath when the feud is interrupted by the arrival of a Predator eager to join the hunt. That pattern, in which a Predator interrupts human combat, repeats twice more to introduce new opponents deemed worthy by the Yautja’s fiercest warriors. “Sword” brings viewers to Feudal Japan just as a deep-seated rivalry between two brothers (both voiced by Louis Ozawa), a samurai and a ninja, explodes into violence, attracting an inhuman foe. “Bullet” shifts gears to 1941, where aspiring pilot Torres (Rick Gonzalez) discovers an invisible threat amidst intense aerial dogfights.
A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS, exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Each story reflects its era and cultural specificity, lending a distinct style and tone to each act. That, in turn, brings a different flavor of action and carnage to each segment that prevents them from feeling too repetitive. The iron will of Ursa and the Vikings inspires a very different style of combat than the elegance of the samurai, for example. The effervescent Torres, by comparison, is untrained and scrappy, leading to a battle of wits in the sky. Each unique set of circumstances opens breathtaking animated action sequences that make full use of the R-rating and then some; it’s a lot easier to get away with decapitations, maiming, and viscera in animated form, after all. The throughline isn’t the Predator-induced carnage, though, but the duty-bound honor and heart that fuels each unwitting participant in the Yautja’s game. The filmmakers and cast manage to endear these protagonists in a short period, earning laughs and tears along the way, though the short form format does create limitations.
Just when Killer of Killers starts feeling too self-contained to make much of an impact beyond its stunning craftsmanship and elegant storytelling, screenwriter Micho Robert Rutare, working from a story Trachtenberg, saves the anthology’s biggest surprises for last. Namely, the final act serves as connective tissue between this standalone anthology and the greater universe, revealing new facets to the Yautja while dangling teases of what may lie ahead.
A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS, exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
That’s far more exciting than Killer of Killers‘ requisite use of Easter eggs and references to the past, though Trachtenberg and Wassung ensure they’re as satisfying as they are fleeting. Aliens actor Michael Biehn, for example, makes his first appearance in the Predator franchise by lending his voice to Torres’ mentor and superior. And a certain 1715 flintlock pistol earns genuine laughs for its clever inclusion here. But the emphasis always remains on the present characters.
It’s the ambition and reverence for the Predator world that prevents Killer of Killers from falling into repetitive stagnation or feeling like a mere appetizer to this fall’s Predator: Badlands. Trachtenberg hints at future plans for the franchise with a provocative final image guaranteed to get fans buzzing. It’s one small moment of many that elevates this handsomely made but conceptually simple anthology into a worthwhile addition to the Yautja canon, raising new questions along the way.
Predator: Killer of Killers begins the hunt on Hulu on June 6.
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