Predator: Killer of Killers brings back director Dan Trachtenberg—who previously revived the series with Prey, where a young Comanche woman faced off against the alien hunter—for another fresh spin on the franchise. This time, he trades live action for animation, crafting three distinct “what if?” scenarios that drop Predators into different points in history. As someone who firmly believes animation is the best way to tell stories like this, I think this format is exactly what the franchise needed. And thankfully, it delivers. The film is beautifully animated—slick, stylized, and full of impact. Every blade swing and plasma blast lands with weight. From Viking revenge to samurai duels to WWII dogfights, it jumps across genres with ease, keeping the focus on chases, stealth, and brutal combat.
Co-directed by Joshua Wassung, the film unfolds as an anthology, with each chapter introducing a new warrior in a different era. The animation, powered by Unreal Engine—a tool more commonly used in video games—feels surprisingly cinematic, filled with grit, texture, and scale. The third segment, set in the skies during a WWII aerial battle, is especially breathtaking, with flight sequences that rival anything in recent animation. It’s a visual standout, and like the rest of the film, it never feels cheap or rushed when it comes to action. There’s always a sense of forward motion, of tension building toward something fierce and thrilling.
But like Star Wars: Visions or the first season of What If…?, the anthology format is both a strength and a limitation. Each story has to quickly build a world, introduce characters, and land emotional payoff in under 30 minutes—and that often means leaning on familiar archetypes and motivations. The emotion is there, but it doesn’t always have space to breathe, and the dialogue occasionally drifts into cliché.
Killer of Killers takes the Predator saga into animated territory—with stunning results. While the anthology format limits its characters, it makes up for it in style and ambition. The way the three stories come together in the final act is genuinely satisfying, and it leaves just enough open to tease what might come next. Whether Predator: Badlands, arriving later this year, continues this thread or not, this film stands tall—as both a stylish reinvention of the franchise and a worthy follow-up to Prey. Could it have used a bit more runtime? Maybe. But in a world of increasing live-action adaptations, it’s refreshing to see a major franchise go in the opposite direction—and do it with this much style and confidence.