“Predator: Killer of Killers” Is a Bold, Bloody Leap Forward for the Franchise

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg with Josh Wassung

Starring Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa, Rick Gonzalez, and Michael Biehn 

Runtime: 1hr 30mins

Streaming on: Hulu

Premiere date: June 6th 2025

Rating: R

For decades, the Predator franchise has thrived on one terrifying truth: the galaxy’s fiercest hunter is always watching—and usually winning. But after 2022’s Prey brilliantly reframed the series through Indigenous survival and resistance, Predator: Killer of Killers raises the stakes with a bold animated anthology that spans centuries, cultures, and genres—without losing sight of the franchise’s brutal legacy.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and storyboarded by Josh Wassung of Third Floor (the visual minds behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, King of the Monsters, and Avengers: Infinity War), Killer of Killers feels like a direct answer to the dream scenarios that fans have been floating online for years. Vikings? Absolutely. Samurai-era Japan? Finally. A WWII pilot dogfighting with interstellar tech? You got it.

The anthology presents three distinct time periods—The Shield, The Sword, and The Bullet—each anchored by a warrior who’s already survived a Predator encounter. They’re not just fighters—they’re survivors, now prisoners aboard a Predator ship, connected by blood, skill, and trauma. It’s a spiritual successor to Predators (2010), but far more elegant in execution and visual scope.

The Shield

A visceral plunge into Viking-era vengeance, The Shield centers on Ursa (voiced by Lindsay LaVanchy), a ferocious warrior leading her son and clan on a blood-soaked journey. Imagine God of War crossed with Heavy Metal. Ursa’s presence is relentless and commanding. When she confronts a cloaked Predator in a fight soaked in snow and crimson, the animation’s power becomes clear—this scale of mythic violence demands it. Of all the warriors, Ursa might just be the most badass.

The Sword

Set in feudal Japan, this segment is the standout. Kenji (voiced by Louis Ozawa) battles his samurai brother for clan supremacy, only to find themselves up against a Predator in the shadows. From silent rooftop standoffs to misty forests bursting with smoke bombs and plasma blasts, The Sword is a gorgeous love letter to samurai cinema and creature-feature horror. It’s operatic, precise, and deeply cinematic. If one short deserves the live-action treatment, it’s this one.

The Bullet

In The Bullet, WWII pilot Torres (voiced by Rick Gonzalez) finds himself dogfighting not with Nazis, but a Predator warship that’s annihilating Allied forces. While it doesn’t hit the emotional notes of the other segments, it’s packed with high-octane thrills and some of the most inventive aerial action in the franchise. Torres, all grit and guts, feels like a plasma-blasting cousin to Top Gun’s Maverick—and it works.

Predators, Easter Eggs, and More

There’s plenty of classic Predator DNA here: the cloaking tech, heat vision, brutal kills, and that pounding, tribal score echoing Alan Silvestri’s iconic theme. Easter eggs abound—yes, the 1715 flintlock pistol from Predator 2 makes an appearance—and the post-credits scene confirms this is no side mission. It’s a Prey sequel, and it’s building something big.

Purists might flinch at the jump to animation, but the format allows the film to go deeper, wider, and more unapologetically violent. Yes, it’s bloody and graphic (this is Predator, after all), but Killer of Killers isn’t just about carnage. It’s about legacy—what we pass down, what we protect, and what it takes to stand against monsters, both literal and inherited.

Conclusion

If Prey proved the franchise could evolve, Predator: Killer of Killers shows it can thrive in new forms. It listens to the fans, honors the past, and fearlessly pushes the franchise forward through history, culture, and bone-crunching combat. I give Predator: Killer of Killers an 8 out of 10.