Predator: Killer of Killersis taking one of the best elements ofPreyand enhancing it threefold. Ever sincePredatorhit the big screen in 1987, the franchise has had a consistent presence in Hollywood. However, many entries in the series blend together over time, with the typical focus on soldiers, cops, and criminals being outgunned by the alien becoming repetitive after a while. That’s partly what made the phenomenalPreysuch a revelation for the series, as it proved the series could take on entirely different kinds of settings, characters, and stories.
By taking the Predator to the 16th century,Preyproved the series could be flexible in focus.Killer of Killersis taking that lesson to heart.The animated Predator anthology filmshifts between three different periods in human history and showcases how three different warriors of their respective cultures (a Viking shieldmaiden, a Japanese ninja, and an American WWII pilot) handle themselves against a seemingly unstoppable hunter. It’s a thrilling expansion on one of the best elements ofPreyand isan ideal direction to take the Predator series.
Killer Of Killers Takes Place Across Three Time Periods
Killer Of Killers Pits Vikings, Ninja, And Pilots Against Predators
Predator: Killer of Killerstakes a similar approach to thePredatorfranchise asPreyby focusing on people in the past encountering the alien hunter on their own terms. InPrey, the fun conceptual tweak on the premise was to have the alien face off with a Camache woman in the 16th century, introducing new challenges that didn’t exist for the more modern protagonists of the franchise.Killer of Killersdoes something similar but amplifies the effect by having three settingsto explore through the shared core story of a predator encountering a human warrior.
It’s an exciting concept, especially following the success ofPrey. The Predator franchise can be adaptable for different settings and time-periods. The fact that it’s an anthology helps cement the idea that the franchise can be more adaptable, pulling from specific historical periods for different visual esthetics and styles of action. It’s also a handy little way to be showcase unique periods in human history and visualize them through slick and grisly animation.Killer of Killerssets up a lot of potential directionsand story beats by being a historical anthology, and it’s an exciting challenge the filmmakers took on.
Prey Proved Predator Could Work In Multiple Settings
Killer Of Killers Takes The Predator Around The World And Through History
BeforePrey, every cinematic entry in thePredatorfranchise took place in the present day. While this was a big part of the appeal ofPredator’s storyline about modern weaponry faced with a challenge it can’t overcome, the series had trouble escaping those boundaries for decades.Preywas a game-changer for the series, using limitations of the era to great effect.The inherently consistent element of the Predator as an antagonist is the lethal nature of the hunter. It’s always going to go for the kill, but typically follows a specific sense of honor in combat.
Killer of Killerstackling three settings instead of just one reinforces this point, highlighting just how mutable the franchise can be.
So long as that element is present, the prey can be anyone in any setting, regardless of their technology, defenses, and weaponry.Preymade great use of its setting to showcase this, with the unique elements of the 16th-century setting fitting neatly into the typical Predator framework of someone encountering and eventually overcoming a Predator.Killer of Killerstackling three settings instead of just one reinforces this point, highlighting just how mutable the franchise can be. So long as someone is working to overcome a predator, they can be a commando, a samurai, a biking, a pilot, or anything else.
How Killer Of Killers Is Taking Advantage Of Being An Anthology
Killer Of Killers Proves How Adaptable The Predator Franchise Can Really Be
Killer of Killersbeing an anthology means that the filmmakers have plenty of opportunities to experiment with their central concept and push the Predator (and the audience) into massive action set-pieces.Preywas a lot of fun , but it also largely depended on intensity to enhance its combat. The animated nature ofKiller of Killersbenefits from a more visceral and dynamic approach, with lots of violence that just wouldn’t work as well in live-action.The anthology approach ensures that animated violence doesn’t risk becoming repetitiveby ensuring viewers get different approaches to the battle.
Why Predator Director Dan Trachtenberg Is Making Two Predator Movies At Once With 2025’s Killer Of Killers & Badlands
During a preview of Predator: Killer of Killers, Dan Trachtenberg reflects on inspirations, animation, and making two Predator movies at once.
At its core,Killer of Killersrealizes the potential thatPreyestablished. The Predator can be an eternal concept, capable of taking the plot to any time and any place. This means there can be limitless approaches to fighting the creature, far beyond the typical guns and grenades that have dominated most approaches to the franchise. By its very nature, Predator invites invention, requiring filmmakers to find new ways to take the established elements of the narrative into fresh directions. It’s what makesPredator: Killer of Killersso exciting and the potential realization of the franchise’s true potential.
