The ’90s Action Movie Icon Who Originally Played The Predator Before Being Fired

Before the towering Kevin Peter Hall brought the iconic Predator to life in John McTiernan’s 1987 sci-fi action classic, another action star was initially cast in the role—a pre-fame Jean-Claude Van Damme. This little-known piece of Hollywood trivia has become legendary in its own right, not just because of Van Damme’s eventual rise to stardom, but because of the infamous circumstances that led to his firing from the production.

The Original Predator Suit: A Design Disaster

When Van Damme was brought on board, the Predator suit was nothing like what audiences eventually saw on screen. Special effects artist Steve Johnson and Matt Winston later revealed in a behind-the-scenes excerpt that the original design resembled a giant insect with an ant-like head. Imagine a creature that looked more suited for a “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” episode than an R-rated sci-fi horror film.

The suit was a nightmare for Van Damme in multiple ways. He reportedly thought it looked ridiculous, found it physically restrictive, and struggled to breathe through the tube that was provided for ventilation. The Belgian martial artist was essentially hired as a stunt performer, valued for his agility rather than his acting chops. However, when it became clear that he couldn’t perform effectively in the oversized rubber suit, the studio made the decision to let him go—along with the costume itself, which was redesigned after test footage revealed just how unconvincing it was.

Conflicting Accounts: What Really Happened?

If you ask the actual people involved in making “Predator,” as The Hollywood Reporter did in 2019, you’ll get wildly different accounts of what transpired. Producer Joel Silver, star Bill Duke, visual effects supervisor Joel Hynek, and stunt coordinator Craig Baxley each have their own version of events.

Some claim Van Damme had an attitude problem from day one, believing he was there to showcase his kickboxing skills rather than embody an alien creature. Others say he passed out repeatedly during shooting due to the suit acting like a rubber furnace in the Mexican jungle heat, leading Silver to fire him after just a few weeks. There’s even an account that Van Damme became so freaked out when they placed the expensive ant-like prosthetic head on him that he ripped it off and threw it on the ground, shattering the costly piece.

The truth remains elusive, and perhaps that’s for the best. What’s certain is that losing the role turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Van Damme. He quickly moved on to star in 1989’s “Kickboxer,” which established him as the action star we know today.

A Win-Win for Everyone

With the suit redesigned and Kevin Peter Hall stepping into the role, “Predator” became a massive success, grossing over $59 million worldwide against a $15 million budget. The film has since earned its place among the greatest sci-fi action movies ever made.

In the end, everything worked out perfectly for all parties involved—a rare and fortunate outcome in Hollywood. Van Damme got his breakout role, “Predator” became a classic, and audiences got one of cinema’s most memorable monsters. Sometimes, what seems like a setback at the time turns out to be exactly what needed to happen.

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