The Predator movie Predator: Killer Of Killers is the anthology that viewers have been waiting decades for, and I’m so glad the franchise has finally used this ingenious premise. The Predator franchise timeline isn’t entirely straightforward, but it is relatively easy to decode. Although Predator 2 takes place in a crime-ridden futuristic Los Angeles, most of the movies occur in chronological order. The lone exception is 2022’s perfect Predator prequel Prey which, not coincidentally, is the franchise’s best outing in decades.

While Predator 2, Predators, and The Predator all tried to outdo the original movie with new monsters, bigger weapons, and more elaborate setups, Prey took things back to basics for its ingenious story. Set on the Great Plains in 1719, Prey followed Amber Midthunder’s Comanche warrior Naru as she battled the Predator without the benefit of modern weaponry. A pulse-pounding thrill ride from start to finish, Prey finally asked what would have happened when the Predator franchise’s Yautja hunted on Earth in earlier epochs.

Killer Of Killers Is The Predator Anthology Movie Everyone Wanted To See

Killer Of Killers Depicts The Predator’s Hunts Throughout History

Of course, Prey proved that a Predator sequel following the monster through different historical eras was what viewers had secretly needed for years. While the earlier Predator sequels were busy with futuristic tech and far-flung settings, it was going back in history that really made Prey shine. As such, it should come as no surprise that the upcoming animated anthology movie Predator: Killer of Killers will center on various historical warriors taking on Predators throughout the ages.

This project follows a Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a World War II pilot as they take on the Predator, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of their approaches to the killer alien hunters. Although director Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands sounds great, the Predator anthology movie Predator: Killer of Killers is the project everyone has wanted to see from the series for years now. Ever since Prey highlighted how much potential a historical Predator movie has, the franchise has needed this anthology.

The anthology approach of Predator: Killer of Killers means the new movie can depict a variety of warriors using a diverse range of tactics against the Predator, instead of taking on historical eras one movie at a time. Although Prey’s premise was a breath of fresh air back in 2022, it was hard to imagine the franchise making a feature-length survival horror installment set in a Viking village, another set in feudal Japan, and a third separate full-length movie set during World War II. This would have been prohibitively expensive and repeтιтive.

The Predator Hunting In Different Eras Should’ve Been A No-Brainer For The Franchise

The Predator Facing Off Against Humans Throughout History Is Ingenious

However, the Predator franchise’s future now looks bright again thanks to Predator: Killer of Killers taking the best parts of each potential movie and streamlining them. While Prey offered viewers a full-length version of a historic Predator hunt, Predator: Killer of Killers provides three shorter stories of historical heroes attempting to escape the clutches of the Predator. The Predator hunting in different historical settings is an obviously ingenious premise for the franchise, since there are endless other eras for more follow-up movies.

Furthermore, the anthology setup means the stories in Predator: Killer of Killers is unlikely to overstay their welcome. Naru’s character arc was a big part of what made Prey’s plot so compelling, much like Dutch’s story made Predator a standout ‘80s action horror upon its original release. However, Predator 2, Predators, and The Predator all struggled to give viewers a protagonist to get invested in, and this made their respective plots feel draggy and uninspired. Predator: Killer of Killers sidesteps this issue with shorter stories.

Prey Paved The Way For Predator To Embrace Its True Potential

Prey Proved Period Settings Work For Predator Movies

While I’m looking forward to Predator: Badlands and still want to see Trachtenberg’s vision of the franchise’s future, Predator: Killer Of Killers is the most exciting project the series has produced in some time. That said, the anthology movie’s existence wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Trachtenberg’s Prey. The 2022 hit proved that the series could take major risks and offer audiences something unlike every earlier installment, thus paving the way for Predator: Killer Of Killers to arrive three years later.

If it weren’t for Prey, viewers would likely still be getting more reboots that tried to reinvent the Predator series for the umpteenth time with the same tired formula as usual. Instead, Predator: Killer Of Killers provides not one, but three chances for the series to offer something truly new and fresh before Predator: Badlands even arrives. Thanks to the prequel’s risky premise, the series feels full of potential once again. Now, the Predator movie Predator: Killer Of Killers can showcase just how many untapped stories the franchise still has to tell.