Arnold Schwarzenegger Makes an Epic Return to the Predator Franchise After 38 Years

At San Diego Comic-Con 2025, fans of the Predator series got a huge surprise. An extended version of the animated epilogue for Predator: Killer of Killers was shown, revealing something incredible, Prey’s hero Naru, played by Amber Midthunder, is not only still alive but frozen in cryogenic sleep on Yautja Prime.

She’s not alone either. Alongside her in the trophy chamber are two other legendary characters: Mike Harrigan, played by Danny Glover, and Dutch Schaefer, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic character from the original Predator. This means Dutch is officially back in the Predator universe after 38 years.

Director Dan Trachtenberg shared the news that this extended ending is now being added to Killer of Killers on Hulu, making it a permanent part of the story. Trachtenberg also revealed that he had breakfast with Schwarzenegger to talk over the cameo before they finalized the scene. It’s a huge deal because while Danny Glover returned for Predator 2, Arnold Schwarzenegger had never come back to the role of Dutch despite many rumors and unfinished scripts over the years.

Now, under Trachtenberg’s guidance, the franchise feels refreshed and ready to bring these characters back together. Fans are excited for what this could mean, a dream team-up is on the horizon.

Originally, Predator: Killer of Killers was released as a stylish animated anthology designed to keep fans entertained until the new Predator: Badlands movie arrives. The anthology was a hit, earning the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any Predator film.

It explored questions sparked by Prey like what if Predators showed up during different historical eras, Vikings, Feudal Japan, and World War II. But the biggest twist came when it was revealed that the survivors from each era were actually being captured and frozen by the Yautja to be used later in deadly contests.

This twist transformed Killer of Killers from just a set of standalone stories into a secret sequel and set-up for future adventures. And now, we finally know that Dutch is part of that group.

Naru’s story took a darker turn than many expected. Even though she won in Prey, the post-credits hinted at more alien ships arriving. The new epilogue confirms that she was captured and frozen along with the other warriors.

Trachtenberg explained this to Polygon, saying, “Certainly Arnold, like many others, was a survivor of his story, and one could easily imagine him up there in cryo, along with any other Earth champion or champion from other planets.” This confirms that Dutch’s survival and capture was planned from the start.

The idea of legendary warriors from different times frozen and waiting for future battles brings a new level of excitement to the franchise. Imagine a mix of Predator and Gladiator, that’s the vibe fans are now getting ready for. Predator: Killer of Killers is available to watch now on Hulu, and this new reveal has definitely raised the stakes for what’s coming next in the Predator universe.

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