In the past, each entry in the Predator franchise has established new protagonists to confront the ongoing invasion of Yautja hunters on Earth. While Easter eggs and references have loosely connected them together, recent developments mark a change.
The animated movie, Predator: Killer of Killers, concludes with a closing image of Naru (Amber Midthunder) sleeping in a cryostasis pod, establishing a direct tie-in with the live-action universe. The Yautja presumably captured her and placed her in a storage facility at some point after the events of Prey based on that one still. We know that she isn't in in a trophy case since the hunter-species takes everything when they claim a kill; images of Yautja ripping spines and skulls from bodies come to mind.
One explanation for Naru being in stasis is the Predators have a specific purpose for her. Audiences learned that Ursa, Torres, and Kiyoshi hailed from different points of history, and were pulled out to fight one another. Naru is in a similar situation. The Yautja may awaken her for the next round of competition, or perhaps the surviving pair, Torres and Kiyoshi, will rescue the Native American warrior when they return for their comrade, Ursa.
Other 'Predator' Alums Returning?
Assuming Naru joins the fight, she might not be alone. The storage facility shown in Killer of Killers was massive in size, potentially housing survivors from previous entries in the franchise. While not many defeated their alien foes and lived to tell the tale, a few have. Royce and Isabelle from 2010's Predators come to mind.
In Predators, Royce (Adrien Brody) and Isabelle (Alice Braga) survived their ordeal, only to watch another batch of soldiers drop onto the foreign planet. They probably had to go through the trial another time, though this remains unclear.
Bear in mind that the Yautja seem to collect the test subjects who can kill their kind. As long as the logic is sound, the alien hunters likely abducted Isabelle and Royce for scientific research, much like they did with Naru, Ursa, Torres, and Kiyoshi. It stands to reason that the survivors of Predators (2010) wound up there, too.
Is The McKenna Family In Cryosleep?
Royce and Isabelle aren't the only ones who could be in cryosleep. 2018's The Predator concluded with a few characters still standing, including the older and younger McKenna, both of whom contributed to taking down the massive Yautja. Because of their involvement, they could've been targeted as well.
It's worth mentioning that cameos by these Predator alums do not guarantee a return to the grand stage. They may pop in for a scene or two, or perhaps a camera will merely pan over them as the main characters run past. Central roles, however, seem unlikely.
Regardless of how things unfold, there's currently no answer to when Amber Midthunder's character will appear in future Predator movies. The only possible setting is the upcoming Predator: Badlands, so unless a "secret" crossover with Prey is in the works, fans will have to wait for 20th Century Studios to announce its next related project to learn when Naru returns.
Predator: Killer of Killers is currently streaming on Hulu. Predator: Badlands debuts on November 7, 2025.