Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Predator: Killer of Killers

Co-director Josh Wᴀssung shed some light on the creation of the three different Predators who battle humans across time in the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers. In a spiritual follow-up to Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey, which saw a more primitive Predator variant slaughter Comanche warriors on the Great Plains in the 1700s, Predator: Killer of Killers pits new Predator variants against other warrior cultures from human history. The three human warriors featured in the movie are a ninth-century Viking warlord, a 17th-century Japanese samurai, and a WWII fighter pilot, each of whom faces a completely different Predator variant.

During an interview with ScreenRant‘s Joe Deckelmeier conducted upon the release of Predator: Killer of Killers, co-director Josh Wᴀssung provided insight into how each of the distinct Predators was chosen for their respective stories. Each variant has a different physical build and different weaponry, although the general concept of hunting primarily by heat remains the same throughout. Read our ScreenRant‘s exclusive full interview with co-directors Dan Trachtenberg and Josh Wᴀssung, and check out Wᴀssung’s comments about the Predator variants:

Josh Wᴀssung: So it was really important for us to find the appropriate match because on the one hand we did not want to look like the Predator was dressing up like that culture. That was very, very, very important to us that we’re like they’re not putting on a costume. But that said, we needed a good metaphor, a good match for these foes. Alec Gillis and the art department, they did an incredible job and had tons and tons of options. They kind of spoke to us, were like, oh man, that behemoth has got to go with the Vikings and this guy, he’s so badᴀss. And he is like, he’s alive, but he’s kind of a ninja, but not. They kind of spoke to us and that’s how we’re able to put them into the respective chapters.

What Josh Wᴀssung’s Comments Mean For The Predator Franchise

The Logic Behind The Variants Is Important To Why They Work

As Wᴀssung noted, the most important part of getting the Predator variants right for their respective stories was to ensure that they made for an entertaining opponent without actually mimicking their human counterparts. A big part of that was ensuring that, despite the far more advanced weaponry, the fighting styles of the Predators reflected their human foes. For example, the Predator who fights the Japanese samurai relies on his camouflage more than the other variants, just as a ninja would. Conversely, the Viking Predator is less skilled but overwhelmed with strength and size, as Viking warriors did to their opponents.

The “matching” of the Predators to their opponents actually points to an interesting concept in how prey is chosen. An excerpt from the Yautja Codex shown at the beginning of Killer of Killers indicates that Predators seek out the “strongest prey”, but it seems like that may go a step deeper. Instead of simply seeking out the strongest foes, Predators may specifically select opponents whose fighting styles reflect their own, thus making them harder to kill. The Predators and human warriors reflect one another, which is why the battles work so well in the movie.

Our Take On The Killer Of Killers‘ Predator Variants

The Predator Universe Is A Lot Bigger Than Previously Thought

While some of the differences between the Predators’ weaponry can be chalked up simply to technological advancement over time, the physical differences indicate that the Predator homeworld (or worlds) contain many different variations of the species. That’s been explored just a bit in the movies with the Super Predators (from Predators) vs. the Jungle Hunters (Predators and the original Predator), but it looks like we haven’t even scratched the surface. It seems like we’ll get another variant (or several) of the Predator species in Predator: Badlands, but Predator: Killer of Killers makes the possibilities virtually limitless.