Edward James Olmos Cut From 'The Predator'

Throughout most of the films in the Predator series, the main attraction has been the titular extraterrestrial hunter, though The Predator brings in an impressive ensemble cast. Unfortunately, the film underwent various reshoots and edits to deliver audiences the best experience, which ultimately resulted in Edward James Olmos being cut from the film entirely.

"I'm not in the show though," Olmos shared with Slash Film. "It was too long so my character, they had to take me out. They were like half an hour, 3/4 of an hour too long. So I understand why."

The actor also pointed out that he played a four-star general in the film, though there are reportedly no hard feelings. Olmos noted that director Shane Black himself broke the news to him.

"It was gracious of them to call me and tell me, 'Hey, we really feel bad,' you know?" Olmos recalled.

From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black's explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe's most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a young boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race.

The film was originally slated to hit theaters last year, though multiple reshoots delayed the film until this fall. The term "reshoot" can sometimes build a stigma about a film's quality, but Black pointed out there was a much simpler justification.

"The first time we shot the third act it was daytime," Black said to Empire Magazine. "It's all this spooky stuff but then it's bright sunlight. It just didn't work. So I said, 'Ummm, can we do this again at night?'"

While all the films in the franchise have incorporated elements of horror along with sci-fi and action, by changing the finale to the nighttime will offer audiences something more chilling.

"Ten feet tall and midnight black, bristling with spines, skin thickened with chitinous organic armour – the product of harvesting DNA from the deadliest creatures on every world it has hunted," Black described of the film's villain. "The ultimate expression of Predator dominance. It is, it's fair to say, one giant, ugly motherfucker."

The film stars Boyd Holbrook, Quinn McKenna, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Alfie Allen, Thomas Jane, Augusto Aguilera, and Jake Busey.

Fans can see The Predator, without Edward James Olmos, when it lands in theaters on September 14th.

Are you disappointed that Olmos won't be in the final film? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

[H/T Slash Film]