LOS ANGELES, June 5 (UPI) -- Predator: Killer of Killers, on Hulu Friday, is a worthy addition to the Predator franchise. The animated film takes advantage of the format to explore aspects only hinted at in the live-action movies.
Killer of Killers is an anthology of three stories in different time periods. In 841, the Viking queen Ursa (voice of Lindsay LaVanchy) encounters a Predator during a battle against an enemy clan, while in 1629 Japan, two samurai brothers come across a Predator in a mostly dialogue-free segment.
Later, in 1942, World War II mechanic John Torres (Rick Gonzalez) leads a dogfight against a Predator ship.
Predator 2 seeded the idea that the Predators have been visiting Earth throughout human history, but it wasn't until 2022's Prey that the live-action franchise explored the past. While live-action period pieces would be welcome, a single period piece is cost-prohibitive, let alone three in one movie.
The animation directed by Dan Trachtenberg, director of the live-action Prey and upcoming Predator: Badlands, feels like a legitimate Predator movie from the moment the score plays. The Predator's invisible ship ripples against the backdrop, and the creature turns on heat vision to stalk its prey.
