One of the more interesting fun facts in the history of horror cinema is that Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally going to play the title character in 1987's Predator, and he had in fact shot a couple scenes for the film, wearing a costume (above, left) that was eventually thrown out the window in favor of the much cooler one that we're all quite familiar with.
While it's likely that you've heard about this early incarnation of a pop culture icon, not much has really been said about the whole ordeal over the years, from the people directly involved in the production of the film. Which is why it's such a treat that the folks over at the Stan Winston School of Character Arts just uploaded a brand new video interview with effects artist Steve Johnson, at long last telling the story of Van Damme's days inside one of the goofiest costumes of all time.
Check out the hilarious video below, which is sure to make you glad that the Predator went through a big time makeover!
Check out a gallery of awesome behind the scenes photos from the set of Predator, right here on FEARNET!