Predator: Killer of Killers ' age rating continues an almost four-decade-long tradition for the Predator franchise. After first being introduced back in 1987 in John McTiernan's action classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the alien Yautja made a triumphant comeback in 2022 with Prey from director Dan Trachtenberg. Trachtenberg is now poised to deliver two new franchise installments to screens this year, with Predator: Badlands arriving in November and Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology film that he co-directs with Joshua Wassung, set to premiere on Hulu this summer.

According to FilmRatings.com, This decision by the MPA means the upcoming animated film will carry the same rating as every previous installment in the franchise, and for many of the same reasons. See how Killer of Killers compares to the other installments in the chart below:

The first Predator movie is now widely considered a classic in its genre. It held little back in terms of its action, with Dutch's team dying in often brutal and bloody ways. This trend continues in every franchise installment that follows, including Prey, which features Comanche warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) doing battle against a Yautja in the early 18th century. , but this change in medium is evidently not affecting the graphic nature of the violence the Yautja perpetrates.

As seen in the Predator: Killer of Killers trailer, the film will feature the titular alien encountering the Vikings, Samurai warriors in feudal Japan, and World War II pilots. If previous entries in the franchise are anything to go by, . As a streaming release, Killer of Killers won't have any box office performance by which to judge the movie, meaning the R rating will have no impact in this regard.

Though the first Alien vs. Predator spinoff movie had a PG-13 rating, the fact that every installment in the Predator franchise proper has been rated R means it would have been surprising if Killer of Killers wasn't. almost 40 years after its debut. Plus, animation has become more widely accepted as a medium that is also for adults in recent years, and Killer of Killers is set to further establish that.

After the critically-acclaimed Prey, . Killer of Killers will be an interesting movie in this regard, but the real test will be the release of Predator: Badlands later this year, which is sure to also carry an R rating. It's unclear whether the franchise's dip into animation will be successful with , but the R rating is just one more reason to look forward to this unique new project.

Source: FilmRatings.com