The world is getting a lot of new Predator content, whether we’re ready for it or not. Recently, we learned that 20th Century Studios plans to expand the Predator universe and that another eventual crossover with the Alien franchise is likely inevitable. It’s like it’s the early aughts all over again! But within all of this, there will not only be a new Predator theatrical film from Dan Trachtenberg, but a second, secret streaming Predator movie, too. And according to some rumors, the exact shape of that project isn’t quite what anyone thought.
According to io9, “multiple sources” have revealed that the secret 2025 Predator project is actually an “animated feature,” but the twist is that it’s “almost an anthology,” and will tell “three separate stories of Predators fighting warriors in multiple eras.” If this ends up coming to pass, it’s a great direction for the Predator franchise, and not just because animated anthologies are cool. But also because animated anthologies set within a pre-determined fictional universe are freeing.
The most high-profile example of this is the underrated, yet, excellent Star Wars: Visions. Launching in 2021, Star Wars: Visions found Lucasfilm corralling various animation studios to get their various takes on different ways to view the Star Wars universe. The results of this are varied, but what’s so wonderful about Star Wars: Visions is that the aesthetics and characters lead the story, rather than the canon. Ditto Short Treks, which also had a few animated shorts back in 2018, both of which played with continuity for the purpose of creating interesting jaunts into a complicated IP, without really worrying about ruffling canon feathers.
Another great example of this approach was the now, almost-forgotten Batman: Gotham Knight, a 2008 animated feature made up of different anthology elements, which were loosely set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Because of various POVs, the details and nitty-gritty plot elements weren’t essential, nor did each story have to be consistent with each other.
This type of freedom would be uniquely great for Predator, which already has quite a bit of wonky continuity already. For example, there are entire Reddit threads devoted to whether or not Predator camouflage tech extends to their claws, or not.
On top of that, the overall timeline of various Predators throughout history (and into the future) is inconsistent throughout the films, especially when we start to talk about Alien vs. Predator. All of this is also just the tip of the iceberg — or Predator spear — proving that what a classic franchise like this might need is less continuity rather than more.
By its very definition, an anthology film or TV series allows for variety, and within that variety, there are bound to be contractions. As various franchises become overburdened by their own internal world-building rules and chronologies, the notion of an anthology series seems like a wonderful antidote.
And for a franchise like Predator, in which fans love the visuals more than the lore, a loosey-goosey approach to canon via an anthology movie could be extremely refreshing. Because while dot-connecting is part of what sci-fi and movie nerds enjoy doing, getting fresh stories set in cool universes is the ultimate goal. If the Predator animated anthology movie is real, there’s a chance that it may be even better than the live-action theatrical film that will follow. Or, at the very least, it promises to be a little more fun.
