Predator is a famous Hollywood creature with a series of movies. An extraterrestrial warrior who hunts a team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle.
We all know the hit movie with this terrifying hunter but there are some things you might not know. For instance, the film provided a variety of hardships for the actors, such as leeches, snakes, stifling humidity, heat, and rough terrain. All the night scenes were filmed during freezing cold temperatures, which was especially hard on Arnold during the latter half of the film, when the mud he had to wear (pottery clay) became cold and wet. He was warned it would take his body temperature down a few degrees, and he shivered non-stop. When they tried to heat him up with lamps, it just made the clay dry out.
The Predator’s blood – a goopy substance with the color of Mountain Dew was made on-set using a mixture of the liquid glow sticks and KY Jelly.
The Predator costume weighed over two hundred pounds, and even though 7’2 Kevin Peter Hall was a large and powerful man, he had to be connected to a bungee rig to enable him to move more believable.
Arnold Schwarzenegger lost over 25 pounds before filming began, in order to better fit the role of a special warfare operative, who would be lean, as well as muscular.
Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally cast to play the Predator, the idea being that the physical action star would use his martial arts to make the Predator an agile, ninja-like hunter. However, the original design was too cumbersome and difficult to manage in the jungle, and Van Damme couldn’t make the required movements in it.
The studio’s insurance company would not agree to insure the production unless a bodyguard was hired for Sonny Landham (Billy) for the sole purpose of protecting people from Sonny. Since he was well-known to be violent and short tempered.
Real venomous snakes and scorpions invaded the set during filming.
The “revel camp” location has become a tourist attraction in Mexico.
The tree the Predator stands on was made of concrete, in order to support the weight of the actor and his costume.
The Predator’s blood was originally supposed to be orange, but it was difficult to accomplish. An effects guy instead suggested they cut open glow sticks and simply pour the liquid wherever needed.
The Predator’s infrared vision is the same as how snakes detect their own prey.
Some cast had real-life military experience. Ventura was a real-life Navy Seal before coming an actor and Richard Chaves, who plays Poncho, served in Vietnam.
The film was shot entirely on location in Mexico. The fictional jungles are actual locations in Puerto Vallarta and Pallenque.