Last year, there was an attempt by filmmaker Shane Black to reboot/revitalize the ‘Predator’ franchise. After a hit film over three decades ago, the series was never able to recapture the magic of the original and has pumped out sequels that range from uninspired to downright embarrassing. But the fact that the franchise is even as beloved as it is today is a minor miracle, considering the drama behind the scenes of the 1987 original. And now, decades later, Jean-Claude Van Damme is opening up about his time on the film, and how his departure led to the creation of the classic action villain we know and love.
For those not steeped in ‘Predator’ knowledge, the 1987 film was originally conceived with an entirely different alien at the center. The design made famous by the film was actually the second one that was used, with the original being more bug-like and very different. And inside that original Predator design was a young up-and-coming actor/martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme. But as he describes in a new interview with Yahoo, his short time as the man in the rubber suit was not the most pleasant.
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He begins by saying the reason he was hired was because of the athleticism the actor showed on previous projects. But when he was brought on the set of ‘Predator,’ and put on the infamous suit, his abilities were quickly diminished.
“But then when the outfit came in, I was restrained of all those jumps. I was just a guy in a rubber suit. I thought at that time, ‘I’m gonna be The Predator,’” Van Damme said. “It was a nightmare, because the outfit was made of rubber and it was so hot in Mexico. People pass[ing] out without the outfit. And I was there sweating water. And then they put some sort of tube for air conditioning. It was too cold. Too hot, too cold.”
The actor then describes how he began complaining to producer Joel Silver, against the better judgment of those actors around him, which ultimately led to Van Damme being shown the door. And of course, dozens of action films later, the actor did just fine on his own.
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But years later, the test footage leaked online and showed just how ridiculous the original design for the Predator was. The bright orange was clearly just test material, but even the design you see just doesn’t have the same effect that the eventual alien would have. Needless to say, fans have grown to make fun of the Van Damme version, much to the actor’s chagrin.
“People say the outfit looked like shit No, it looked great,” said the actor. “The first Predator [suit] looked very mean. But it was very difficult to be in.”
It’s obvious now that the drama worked out for the best, but there’s a small part of me that would love to see what the finished film would have been like with Van Damme’s Predator terrorizing Arnold Schwarzenegger and Co.