It's no secret that Shane Black's The Predator has undergone some major changes since it entered post-production. The release date has been pushed back multiple times, and earlier this year star Keegan Michael-Key revealed that the majority of the film's ending has totally changed. We may never know the full extent of the alterations (we'll have to wait and see what the home video strategy is), but according to Edward James Olmos, one element that has been totally cut out is his performance:
I'm not in the show, though. It was too long, so my character, they had to take me out. They were like half-an-hour, three-quarters of an hour too long. So I understand why... It was gracious of them to call me and tell me, 'Hey, we really feel bad,' you know?
The Battlestar Galactica actor is currently doing interviews for his new series, Mayans M.C., at the TCA Press Tour, and while sitting down with SlashFilm he revealed the status of his part in The Predator. Edward James Olmos was originally cast in the movie to play a military general, but apparently the material he filmed will not be used in the theatrical cut.
Looking at the actor's quote beyond what it reveals about his character, it's surprising to hear just how much of The Predator is being cut. There is no question that we are living in an era when big blockbusters are getting longer and longer (perhaps to accentuate a difference between it and small screen serial storytelling), but the idea of 30-45 minutes being cut down still sounds like a lot. The official running time of the movie has not yet been revealed - it's possible they haven't locked print yet - but it will eventually give us an idea of how much got removed during the editing process.
What's kind of a bummer in this whole situation is that Edward James Olmos previously expressed a lot of excitement about his part in The Predator. He went on the record about his part in the film last November and while he admitted that he hadn't seen any footage, he was taken aback by how funny the material was when he was on set, and lauded the work of both Shane Black and the rest of the cast.
There are obviously a lot of big question marks surrounding The Predator at this point, but answers are coming soon. The movie will be hitting theaters next month, specifically on September 14, and we'll hopefully get the full rundown from the stars and filmmakers as they do press. For all that and more, stay tuned here on CinemaBlend, and if you need a refresher on everything Predator, be sure to check out our Newbie's Guide.
