Original, Unused Predator Screenplay Being Adapted as Limited Series Comic for Dark Horse

Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox put the future of a number of beloved franchises into question, so as fans wonder how the big-screen adventures of the Predator franchise will continue, Dark Horse Comics will be adapting an unused script for the original film into a five-issue comic book series, as confirmed by SYFY WIRE. The 1984 script was written by James E. Thomas and John C. Thomas, which was then titled "Hunters," and follows the similar structure of a group of commandos entering the jungle, only to encounter a series of unexpected threats. The new series is adapted by writer Jeremy Barlow (Alien vs. Predator: Thicker Than Blood) with art by Patrick Blaine (Star Wars: Empire) and inks from Andy Owens (Tomb Raider, Ghost).

"There's excitement in seeing what might have been," Barlow shared in a statement. "The bones of Predator are there, but the original idea was so different and in some ways, much deeper than what the movie became — and we lean hard into those differences. Turn all of that over to a pair of dynamic artists like Patrick Blaine and Andy Owens, and the results are spectacular. Predator fans are going to lose their minds!"

It's unclear just how different this story will be from what fans saw in the original 1987 Predator, but fans of the franchise will surely appreciate seeing a look into an adventure that could have been.

"The first Predator movie is such an iconic, cultural classic," Blaine shared in a statement. "To be involved with Dark Horse, re-imagining it from the original script, is an artist's dream come true! Jeremy Barlow's script adaptation has been a pure joy to work from, and I think fans of the genre will enjoy this wild new ride through a familiar old tale!"

As evidenced by the above cover art, this new take on the familiar adventure will take a number of deviations from iconic imagery, which includes reimagining the titular creature. Interestingly, this isn't the only time fans have seen a different incarnation of the famous beast, as the production had originally enlisted Jean-Claude Van Damme to play the monster.

When Van Damme was attached to the picture, the creature was portrayed as a large insectoid figure, which appeared bright red on set in order to create the appropriate contrast against the lush, green foliage to be edited out later. Between the jarring appearance of the monster and the way it hindered his martial arts abilities, Van Damme ended up leaving the project and the production redesigned the beast to the now-famous visage.

Predator: The Original Screenplay #1 hits shelves on June 10th.

Are you excited for the new series? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!