The reason Jean-Claude Van Damme wasn’t in the original 1987 Predator movie is revealed by director John McTiernan.
With an upcoming theatrical release from writer/director Shane Black’s Predator franchise, the final word confirms why Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t appear in the 1987 original. For those in the know, the McTiernan-led action series has so far had two direct sequels – namely 1990’s Predator 2 and 2010’s Predators – and has since established itself as a 1980s cult franchise bolstered by leading performances by artists such as Arnold. Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura and a young Shane Black.
RELATED:
Predator (1987) Biography, Plot, Development, Casting, Filming, Box office, Scene.
the original 1987 film that started it all will still be a high point that the series has yet to rival, and McTiernan’s latest words have official confirmation as to why one 1980s action star didn’t make it into the film.
In an interview with CinemaBlend, McTiernan explained why famed action star Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t get a spot on the original Predator movie Van Damme blames his agent for never setting foot on the set of the 1987 action movie , stating, “We never filmed anything with him. It was a complete failure with his agent trying to get him to work and not knowing what movie it was. This is silly. It was really stupid.”
No matter how thrilling it could be to see Schwarzenegger and Van Damme battle it out on the big screen in The Predator, it’s also important to note that Van Damme was attached at a time when the titular monster’s iconic image was very different from what audiences had. familiar today. Van Damme may have been a couple in hindsight, but it’s probably for the best that things worked out the way they did and the design of the creature was finalized without input from the actor.
RELATED:
‘Predator’ 11 Amazing Things About the Classic Arnold Schwarzenegger Action Film
