It’s been three years since Prey (2022) proved there was still far more to explore in the Predator franchise. Where some saw little potential in the IP after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, others, like filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane), knew that previous Predator movies had been teasing a rich universe beyond imagination. A universe full of ruthless interplanetary hunters that fans were sometimes promised to see more of, but ultimately never did… until now. Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) breaks new ground for the franchise in the world of animation, facing no limitations as it takes audiences across time and pits three of the fiercest warriors in human history against the Predator in an awe-inspiring anthology.
The concept for an animated anthology gained traction soon after the successful debut of Prey. Writer-director Dan Trachtenberg already had a strong working relationship with Joshua Wassung, the CCO and co-founder of The Third Floor — the renowned pre- and post-visualization VFX company that initially worked under George Lucas at Lucasfilm before branching out in the late 2000s. Since then, The Third Floor has expanded into video games, virtual reality, and even theme park-based entertainment. With the great help of Josh Wassung as co-director, Trachtenberg could secretly steer an animated Predator movie into production while also directing the upcoming sequel, Predator: Badlands. Helming two Predator films simultaneously is frankly insane, but with Killer of Killers, Trachtenberg makes it look effortless.
An Anthology Movie with a Sharp Edge
Predator: Killer of Killers is split into multiple chapters. In “The Shield,” viewers are introduced to Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy), a seasoned Viking raider who is guiding her young son on a bloody path to revenge, sometime around 800 AD. “The Sword” switches gears and follows Kenji (Louis Ozawa Changchien), a cunning ninja seeking to overthrow his samurai brother in feudal Japan. Finally, in “The Bullet,” the spotlight shifts to Torres (Rick Gonzalez), a Latino pilot who grows suspicious of an alien threat during World War II. In a sly twist, before fans can even get upset over these time periods not getting the same live-action treatment as Prey, Killer of Killers reveals that it’s not like any ordinary anthology.
Based on their loglines alone, each of these stories is interesting enough to be fleshed out into a feature-length action movie, with or without a Predator. It’s how Dan Trachtenberg and writer Micho Robert Rutare incorporate the Predators, or Yautja, and expand the franchise’s lore that makes this animated film so special. Written text from the Yautja codex opens the movie, stating that all Predators live by an oath to travel across the galaxy and only target the most deadly opponents, making them the “killer of killers.” While that might feel obvious, the Predator’s mantra is what weaves the three seemingly standalone vignettes together. By the end, a deeper meaning is given to the phrase, which is best left unspoiled.
The Possibilities are Now Endless for the Predator Franchise
Similar to how Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) changed the perspective and expectations around superhero movies, Predator: Killer of Killers does that for modern big-budget science fiction. The possibilities are endless in animation, and Killer of Killers delivers what so many fans have been asking to see for decades without ever second-guessing itself. Three new Yautja are prominently featured in this anthology. Just like in the best Predator films, they study and stalk their prey, waiting to make their first move until the very worst point in the human protagonist’s story. The major difference is that these three Predators each present their own unique hunting styles.
There’s a brolic Predator who chooses to take on Vikings head-on without armor, relying only on his massive muscles and the sonic boom blasts of his bionic arm. The viewer is then shown a Predator who relies purely on invisibility and stealth, easily taking out Japanese guards with a bladed-chain whip. The last completely stands out from every Predator previously seen in the franchise: a gruff, older veteran with a cybernetic eyepatch (and without the signature dreadlocks) who hunts his targets purely from inside his sleek warship like a space pirate. Each of these Predators poses a distinct, seemingly impossible challenge for the anthology’s “chosen” heroes to overcome, keeping the audience hooked throughout its breezy 90-minute runtime.
Breathtaking Animation with a Crucial Purpose
According to the filmmakers, Predator: Killer of Killers is the first feature-length animated movie backed by a Hollywood studio to be designed and completed in Unreal Engine, the computer graphics software developed by Epic Games. The end result is an astonishing 3D animation style embellished with various 2D textures and paintings. It’s unlike anything seen in past animated successes that mixed 3D and 2D elements, such as the Spider-Verse series, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023). In Killer of Killers, hand-drawn 2D flourishes are especially noticeable when the frame rate changes during action scenes. This allows the Predators to move in various ways that are simply not possible in live-action.
Whether it’s witnessing warriors getting chopped into pieces against the backdrop of an imposing Japanese fortress or a menacing spaceship amidst blazing WWII dogfights high in the sky, Predator: Killer of Killers is a breathtaking viewing experience. The Yautja rarely feel this otherworldly and terrifying, solidifying that animation was the perfect medium for this project. Above all else, this works as an incredibly satisfying anthology due to the script’s emphasis on character. Within a short amount of time, fans meet three new protagonists who are gracefully layered and worthy of standing next to the likes of Amber Midthunder‘s Naru. Few creatives understand the core pillars of the Predator series like Dan Trachtenberg, and he’s thankfully just getting started.
Predator: Killer of Killers premieres on Hulu on June 6!
Release Date: June 6, 2025.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg & Joshua Wassung.
Screenplay by Micho Robert Rutare.
Based on characters created by Jim Thomas & John Thomas.
Produced by Dan Trachtenberg, Ben Rosenblatt, John Davis, & Marc Toberoff.
Executive Producers: Lawrence Gordon, Stefan Grube, James E. Thomas, John C. Thomas,
Main Voice Cast: Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Rick Gonzalez, & Michael Biehn.
Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch.
Production Companies: 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Animation, Davis Entertainment, & The Third Floor, Inc.
Distributor: Hulu.
Runtime: 90 minutes.
Rated R.
