Predator: Killer of Killers Co-Director Responds to Fan Theories About Alien Easter Egg

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Josh Wassung, co-director of the movie “Predator: Killer of Killers,” addressed the numerous fan theories regarding an alleged Alien Easter egg seen in the film’s first trailer. In the trailer footage, fans are certain they spotted a specific Predator wearing a cape made from Xenomorph tails at the end of the teaser.

The initial animated film within the Predator series adopts an anthology structure, weaving together stories about three distinct characters hailing from various time periods: a Viking, a Ninja, and a World War II fighter pilot. Throughout history, each character finds themselves confronting a separate Predator they must vanquish to survive and continue their battles.

The movie set to premiere on Hulu on June 6 features Lauren Holt as Freya, Louis Ozawa as Kenji/Kiyoshi, Rick Gonzalez as Torres, Michael Biehn as Vandy, along with others in the leading roles.

In an exclusive chat I had with Joshua Wassung, one of the directors behind “Predator: Killer of Killers” (who collaborated with Dan Trachtenberg on “Prey”), he delved into the potential “Alien” reference and shared insights about the selection process for our three principal characters.

Predator: Killer of Killers Josh Wassung on If Fans Did See an Alien Easter Egg

“We Designed That Character to Be as Regal as Possible…”

  • TopMob: “There are a lot of fan theories going around about the very threatening-looking Predator seen from the back in the trailer, and fans were convinced that his cape was a bunch of Xenomorph tails. So I was wondering if you could possibly confirm that to be the case or not the case?”

Josh Wassung stated that we aimed to make the character as majestic as possible while incorporating an extreme level of savagery. The initial concept was developed by Alex Gillis, along with many exceptionally skilled artists and members of the art team.

Instead of deciding the origins ourselves, we thought it would be more engaging if the fans chose where each of those eccentric skeletons came from, as there are numerous intriguing possibilities. So, by involving the fans in this process, they can help shape the backstory for these characters and contribute to their history.

Why Predator: Killer of Killers Chose to Focus on Vikings, Ninja and WWII

The Team Wanted to Utilize the Unexpected Throughout History

  • TopMob: “The film mainly tells a story between three different time periods. Can you just talk about why you chose each one of those and how they kind of specifically added their own unique additions to the story and the themes that you were going for?”

Josh Wassung: Essentially, each of these ideas stemmed directly from Dan [Trachtenberg]’s creativity, as he is drawn to creating things that are unconventional… Therefore, every concept, regardless of its potential, needed an intriguing entry point to develop a character that was somewhat unexpected yet relatable. This was followed by a twist that kept the audience engaged and surprised.

In this movie, the primary pair of characters who are consistently in focus are a Viking mother and her son, who make up a duo. Their quest for revenge unwittingly leads them straight towards the Predator.

In other words, Wassung was saying: Isn’t it intriguing to explore the Viking culture, known for its brutality, from a unique perspective? Perhaps we could tell a compelling mother-son story set within this cultural context, but with a twist – they must face a formidable adversary together. Have we seen such a tale unfold in this setting before?

Following the Viking tale, the story transitions to Japan during the 1600s. Here, we encounter two brothers – one a ninja and the other a samurai. Their relationship takes a catastrophic turn in their youth. As years pass, they cross paths again under strained circumstances, unaware of the impending terror that looms ahead.

In a somewhat unexpected twist, even given the quick-paced narrative structure of this anthology, I found it captivating to begin their story at a young age and follow the trajectory of these two brothers. The question that arose was, how can we guide these siblings on the path of ninjas and samurai? After all, who wouldn’t want that, right?

As a cinephile, I’d put it this way: Among the trio of characters we follow, there’s a WWII air force hero thrust into an unforeseen battle. Instead of ground combat, he finds himself engaging the Predator in the very domain where he excels – the skies above.

Wassung proposed an interesting comparison: World War II could be likened to a scenario where we might imagine the Predator, a fictional alien creature, was patrolling the skies. The spaceship in this case would symbolize the essence of the original predator. This is evident in the weapons used, which bear resemblance to those from the initial predator depiction.

Check out more of TopMob’s interviews here.

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2025-06-04 00:34