The ’80s gave us a cornucopia of pop culture treasures: MTV, The Simpsons, and Super Mario Bros. But its greatest gift to society is the rise of testosterone-fuelled action flicks. And when it comes to big, explosive, roided-out mayhem, Predator remains the gold standard.

With its airtight premise, Arnold Schwarzenegger at his musclebound peak, and one of cinema’s all-time great monsters, Predator‘s masterpiece status is unassailable. Yet despite being an era-defining action epic, the franchise’s track record has been hit and miss. While many of the follow-ups showcase standout moments, nothing recaptured the magic that endeared the original to generations of fans.

That all changed in 2022 when director Dan Trachtenberg set a new standard for Predator spin-offs. His film Prey stayed true to the original’s formula while sprucing things up with some modern-day style and flare. Like a true Predator whisperer, he delivered the series’ best movie in decades. Now, Trachtenberg alongside co-director Joshua Wassung has opted to take the series in a wild new direction with an animated feature. Their new film, the bloody and frenetic animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers seems lab-tested to please the franchise’s diehard fans.

Killer of Killers unfolds across three separate tales set in different historical eras. And they’re tied together by a wraparound segment that culminates in an over-the-top final act. Each entry runs roughly twenty minutes which makes for a lean film that invites multiple rewatches. (The credits hit well before the ninety-minute mark).

The first story features female Viking raider Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy), who takes her son on a revenge mission to slay the tyrant who killed her father. The second story takes place in feudal Japan and follows two brothers, a ninja (Louis Ozawa) and a samurai (also voiced by Ozawa), who fight to the death in a gruelling battle for succession. The final tale features a World War II pilot (Rick Gonzalez) whose fighter squadron is being hunted down by a UFO. What do all these segments have in common? A goddamn Yautja warrior showing up to unleash a bloodbath. 

Think about how many horror movies released each year ultimately fade into obscurity. It’s rare for a movie monster to grow in popularity in the decades after its debut. Predator now sits in the all-time great monster movie pantheon right alongside Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers. 

The Yautja’s legendary look accounts for much of the appeal —  a combination of prosthetics and animatronics that makes the creature seem truly alien. However, it’s the series’ simple premise and iconic mythology that keep audiences coming back for more. Each filmmaker joining the franchise gains access to an expansive horror/sci-fi/action movie sandbox, adding new wrinkles to the series’ now iconic lore.

I would empty my wallet to watch Succession but with ninjas and samurais replacing Kendall, Roman, and Shiv. Throw a vicious Predator into the mix and I might give up my firstborn child too. Killers of Killers takes some absolutely insane “what-if” scenarios and lets them play out with bloodthirsty zeal. The end result is a total blast for action junkies but a special gift to Predator movie diehards.

Killer of Killers goes all-out from the opening jump. Trachtenberg and Wassung deliver a level of spectacle that’s too expensive to shoot in live-action. You’ve got bloody Viking battles, ninja versus samurai duels, World War II dogfighting and even a trip to an alien world. For better and for worse this film is all gas, no breaks. 

Each segment hits the ground running, throwing viewers right into the chaos. But that also means that the narrative always takes a back seat to the action. It’s all as thrilling and gruesome as you want your Predator flick to be — the Yautja’s signature move is tearing people’s spines out of their necks — but the main characters are simple archetypes without much depth to them. They’re badasses on the battlefield, but they don’t make a strong impression.

Watching Killer of Killers feels like running an endorphin IV straight into your lizard brain. I loved its stylish animation, breathless pacing, and unabashed depravity. The film may thrill you, disgust you, or leave you suffering from adrenal fatigue. All three responses are valid. 

Would I prefer a deeper narrative and more measured pacing? Without a doubt. But much like a roller coaster ride that’s solely a series of loop-de-loops, it’s an exhilarating, though, one-note ride.

Killer of Killers isn’t the Predator movie of my dreams but it’s a damn fun fever dream that Yautja aficionados can’t afford to miss.

Predator: Killer of Killers will premiere on Friday, June 6, 2025, exclusively on Disney+.