'Predator: Killer of Killers' is a battle across history that doesn't dwell on the franchise's past

There are plenty of upcoming sci-fi movies we're keeping tabs on this year, and those of us who aren't afraid of getting a little bloody can't wait for Predator: Badlands, the next theatrical installment in the long-running series. Hulu's Predator: Killer of Killers, now available on the platform and Disney Plus globally, on the other hand, has been a huge surprise arrival, and I'm happy to report it's among the franchise's best and made me excited about what's next.

The new movie, mostly marketed as a three-chapter animated anthology, takes us to the times of Vikings, ninja, samurai, and WWII flying aces. The alien 'tourists' have been visiting Earth for a very long time, as Prey (2022), Predator 2 (1990), and the first Alien vs. Predator (2004) suggested. That said, Predator: Killer of Killers doesn't just have fun with all the 'Wouldn't it be cool if a Predator fought (x)?' scenarios; it also enlarges the larger mythology surrounding the hunters and even sets the stage for more ambitious stories.

Mild spoilers ahead for Predator: Killer of Killers. We'll also assume that you've watched all the previous Predator movies.... if not, check out our Predator movies in order list.

With modern-day Predator movies in the rear view, it seems Dan Trachtenberg's full attention is on expanding the horizons of the series and trying to keep fans on their toes. We're not just throwing a Predator into a new setting or trying to make things more complicated than they needed to be (I'm looking at you, Shane Black). If Trachtenberg's two excellent Predator projects so far have told us anything, it's that diehards of the wider lore in comic books and video games will be eating well for the foreseeable future.

Whereas past filmmakers tried to replicate or honor the 1987 original to a fault, the new shepherd of the franchise and his writing partners – co-writers Patrick Aison (Prey) & Micho Robert Rutare (Killers of Killers) – are more interested in gradually lifting the veil covering the universe of possibilities first suggested by series creators Jim and John Thomas in the vastly underrated second movie. Prey, while structurally similar to the classics, already took the design of the creature, its arsenal, and the relationship with Amber Midthunder's Naru in a slightly different direction. 'Who's really the prey?' kept the movie thematically interesting and refreshing enough so we didn't feel bothered by the 'If it bleeds, we can kill it' line drop.

Predator: Killer of Killers makes its universe-building intentions clear from the very beginning: "Go forth among the stars and seek only the strongest prey. They shall be your trophy. Become the killer of killers." This fictional quote is even confirmed to come from the in-universe Yautja Codex (yes, they finally used 'Yautja' in a movie), mysterious calendar date included. With Badlands set to closely follow the adventures of a young Predator hunter trying to prove himself, this feels like only the beginning for an on-screen expansion of these aliens' history and culture. These are no longer simple monster features with slight tints of horror. Watch out for the brutal violence peppered throughout this journey across three eras, though, as this may be the series' goriest entry yet.

Even the way Killer of Killers' Predator-less sequences are executed set it apart from what's come before: The Viking revenge tale we get to see before all hell breaks loose is engaging on its own; the brotherly drama driving the second short packs a punch; and the 'aspiring fighter pilot' premise at the center of the last chapter could've fueled a Top Gun-like period piece movie. Things just happen to get more enjoyable when the Yautja hunters show up and start using slicing and dicing. Stylish animation aside, the joyful carnage feels weighty because we care about what happens before it. This is exactly why Predator and Prey worked so well, and something the other flicks forgot about for the most part.

The different settings are also used to great effect to reshape the Predator-on-human action we're ultimately showing up for. Freya and her son Anders have to get creative to defeat the 'Grendel' with little more than shields and chains; the twins Kenji and Kiyoshi use every ninja and samurai trick they know to go full melee against a Predator that dwarfs them; and that WWII-set section is going to please dogfight enjoyers with its plain but fitting UFO twist. The movie changes gears before you even begin to feel tired, and Trachtenberg and Rutare were smart enough to keep things clean and agile when it came to character development and themes.

Perhaps that's Killer of Killers' biggest achievement beyond successfully translating the property into gorgeous, Arcane-like animation: As much heavy lifting as it does for the franchise's potential future, it's not a lore-heavy, bloated mess. 'Show, don't tell' feels especially relevant here. Even as the story reaches a surprising final act that Disney has kept the lid on, I kept thinking this could be a perfectly valid first step into the series for newbies who are enticed by the animated twist.

With Predator: Badlands looking to do something entirely different and venturing into a fictional future that appears to be part of the Alien movie timeline, yet another 'safe' Predator movie would've sufficed, but 20th Century Studios is supporting a renewed vision for a franchise that showed severe signs of fatigue only seven years ago.

I can't wait to see the wide fan reaction to it, especially when it comes to that final stretch and one stinger that will get lots of people talking for a bit. The future looks exciting and unpredictable, even if "there's definitely a plan," which is something we wish we could say more often about big sci-fi properties.