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= Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) =

''Predator: Killer of Killers'' is a 2025 animated science fiction/horror anthology film directed by '''Dan Trachtenberg''', co-directed by '''Joshua Wassung''', and written by '''Micho Robert Rutare'''. Produced by 20th Century Studios and Davis Entertainment, it is the sixth main installment in the ''Predator'' franchise and the first to feature a fully animated anthology format.

Set across different historical eras — Viking Scandinavia, feudal Japan, and World War II — the film follows three warriors abducted by Predators and forced into a gladiatorial death match on an alien world overseen by a Yautja warlord known as the '''Grendel King'''.

== Release Information ==
* '''Release Date:''' June 6, 2025 (Hulu in the U.S., Disney+ internationally)
* '''Directors:''' Dan Trachtenberg, Joshua Wassung
* '''Writer:''' Micho Robert Rutare
* '''Producers:''' John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt
* '''Studio:''' 20th Century Studios / Davis Entertainment
* '''Runtime:''' Approximately 90 minutes
* '''Language(s):''' English, Japanese, Old Norse, Spanish
* '''Format:''' Animated, Unreal Engine pipeline

== Plot Summary ==

''Predator: Killer of Killers'' is divided into four chapters:

'''The Shield''' (841 AD) – Viking warrior '''Ursa''' leads a revenge raid against Saxon raiders but soon finds herself the target of a cloaked alien hunter. She manages to kill the Predator, but her entire war party is wiped out.

'''The Sword''' (1609 Japan) – Samurai brothers '''Kenji''' and '''Kiyoshi''' prepare to duel to the death when a Predator ambushes them. The rival siblings unite against the Yautja but only Kenji survives, gravely wounded.

'''The Bullet''' (1942 North Africa) – American fighter pilot '''John J. Torres''' is shot down during World War II and stalked by a Predator in the desert. He defeats it by luring it into an explosive trap using wreckage from his plane.

'''The Battle''' (Epilogue) – After each segment, the warrior is abducted into stasis. They awaken together on an alien planet to face each other in an arena ruled by the '''Grendel King''', a warlord-class Predator who pits the greatest killers against one another. Ursa sacrifices herself so Kenji and Torres can escape.

== Voice Cast ==
* '''Lindsay LaVanchy''' – Ursa (adult)
* '''Cherami Leigh''' – young Ursa
* '''Louis Ozawa''' – Kenji and Kiyoshi Kamakami
* '''Rick Gonzalez''' – John J. Torres
* '''Michael Biehn''' – Vandenberg ("Vandy")
* '''Doug Cockle''' – Einar
* '''Damien Haas''' – Anders
* '''Lauren Holt''' – Freya
* '''Jeff Leach''' – Ivar
* '''Piotr Michael''' – Gunnar
* '''Andrew Morgado''' – Chief Zoran
* '''Alessa Luz Martinez''' – Delgado
* '''Felix Solis''' – Torres' father
* '''Britton Watkins''' – Grendel King Predator

== Themes ==
* '''The Hunter Becomes the Hunted:''' Each chapter subverts human warrior expectations by pitting them against an alien predator.
* '''Time-Spanning Conflict:''' The anthology format explores Predator hunts across history, showing the Yautja's long-standing tradition of collecting elite prey.
* '''Honor and Sacrifice:''' Characters must choose between pride and survival, and the final chapter highlights nobility through Ursa’s self-sacrifice.
* '''Predator Culture Expansion:''' The Grendel King and the gladiator arena suggest an organized, class-based Yautja society.

== Production ==
The animation was produced using Unreal Engine with virtual production techniques by The Third Floor. The film takes stylistic cues from ''Akira'' and ''Arcane'' while maintaining gritty realism appropriate for the franchise. It is the first Predator media to feature multiple time periods and languages, with Comanche dub options in select regions.

== Reception ==
''Predator: Killer of Killers'' received strong critical acclaim for its inventive structure, rich animation, and faithfulness to the spirit of the franchise.

* '''Rotten Tomatoes:''' 95%
* '''Metacritic:''' 78/100
* '''Streaming Impact:''' Hulu’s most-watched film in June 2025 and trended top 3 globally on Disney+ during release weekend

== Legacy ==
* First fully animated entry in the franchise
* First canonical appearance of the '''Grendel King''', a Yautja warlord character
* Introduced the concept of a Predator-run gladiator arena for abducted prey
* Ties together Predator lore from various time periods, preceding the events of ''[[Prey (2022)]]'' and ''[[Predator (1987)]]''

== See Also ==
* [[Prey (film)]]
* [[Predators (film)]]
* [[The Predator (film)]]
* [[Predator (film)]]
* [[Grendel King]]
* [[Ursa (Viking warrior)]]
* [[Kenji Kamakami]]
* [[John J. Torres]]
* [[Yautja hunting traditions]]
* [[Predator timeline]]

== External Links ==
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36463894/ ''Predator: Killer of Killers'' on IMDb]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator:_Killer_of_Killers Wikipedia article]
* [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/predator_killer_of_killers Rotten Tomatoes page]