Few may have known at the time, but Arnold Schwarzenegger would soon emerge as an action movie icon after starring as the title character in James Cameron’s 1984 blockbuster, The Terminator.
The former Mr. Universe champion became a household name after starring as the title character in Conan the Barbarian (1982), directed by John Milius. But it was Schwarzenegger’s calculated and chilling portrayal of the evil cyborg that sent him into the stratosphere of A-listers.
After another hit at the box office as John Matrix in Commando (1985), Schwarzenegger signed up to play Alan “Dutch” Schaefer in Predator (1987).
Directed by John McTiernan, Predator also starred Carl Weathers (Al Dillon), Bill Duke (Mac Eliot), WWE Hall of Famer and future Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura (Blain Cooper) and Elpidia Carrillo (Anna Gonsalves).
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Predator follows Schaefer after being “hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is wrong.
“After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.”
In Empire‘s list of the “100 Best Movies Of All Time” as voted by the magazine’s readers, Predator came in at No. 65:
“Predator has it all – the most bicep-rippling handshake in cinema history, some seriously gnarly gore, and Arnie yelling, ‘Get to da choppah!’ His Dutch is the leader of a team sent into the jungle on mission – only to find that they’re battling an invisible extraterrestrial foe, the ultimate hunter who revels in taking them down one by one,” Empire wrote.
“It all boils down to a thrilling battle of wits between Schwarzenegger and that ugly mother-effer, an unforgettable showdown that sees brains given as much importance as brawn.”
‘Predator’ Grossed $98.26 Million and Received One Oscar Nomination
(Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
According to Box Office Mojo, Predator grossed $98.26 million globally. The film also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, losing to Innerspace.
Though Predator’s success led to six sequels, Schwarzenegger did not return for any of them. The most recent installment, Predator: Badlands, was released in 2025 and made $184.56 million worldwide.
Related: 1991 Film, Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ranked Eighth-Greatest Sci-Fi Film of All Time
