The Predator franchise continues to expand this year with a pair of new releases, and one of those movies has now officially been rated. Before audiences get to see Predator: Badlands this fall, they’ll be treated to the animated feature Predator: Killer of Killers, which debuts on Hulu this summer. The animation medium is new territory for the property, but Killer of Killers will continue a franchise tradition in one respect. Ahead of the film’s release in June, Predator: Killer of Killers has been rated R for “strong bloody violence, some gore and language,” per Film Ratings.
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Dating back to the 1987 original, most installments in the Predator franchise have been rated R. The lone exception is 2004’s Alien vs. Predator, which earned a PG-13 rating.
Predator: Killer of Killers is a standalone film. What makes this entry unique is that the story spans multiple time periods and locations. The Killer of Killers trailer released last month featured footage of the Predator battling Norse Vikings, samurai in feudal Japan, and World War II fighter pilots, showcasing how it’s been the ultimate hunter across human history.
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When discussing his approach for Predator: Killer of Killers during a press event ComicBook attended, Trachtenberg emphasized his desire to tell a story that was “emotional and thematic and character-oriented” in addition to delivering the intense action the franchise is known for. While he remains open to the idea of making future animated Predator films, he was quick to point out Killer of Killers was not conceived as the first installment of a new series.
While there are plenty of examples that prove otherwise, animation is stereotypically seen as a family-friendly medium, so some long-time Predator fans might have been concerned that Killer of Killers might have watered things down. The trailer, which featured its fair share of bloody kills, should have assuaged those concerns, but the official rating confirms this will maintain the spirit of the series. Predator is a franchise famous for its gore and violence, so it’s great to see Killer of Killers is embracing those sensibilities to deliver something special. It’ll be fun to see how Trachtenberg and Co. make use of the animation format, which can be an avenue to explore creative opportunities that aren’t always possible in live-action.
Hopefully, Killer of Killers finds success when it comes out next month. Trachtenberg proved he has a good read on what makes the Predator franchise work well with 2022’s Prey, which put a fresh spin on the established formula. As he continues to leave his mark on the IP, it’s encouraging that he’s thinking outside the box and crafting narratives we haven’t seen before as opposed to just rehashing older entries. Predator: Badlands puts its own unique spin on things by making a young Predator outcast the protagonist. Trachtenberg is clearly passionate about the franchise and has been finding ways to keep it viable moving forward. If he has more ideas for animated features, it’d be great if he got a chance to make them.
