The Predator franchise has become one of the most beloved and crucial entries in the science-fiction genre. Part of what made the film so impactful was how it took the concept of the male action hero, which was at its height, and instead turned them into the victims of something far worse. Because of this, the film both stood out and has stood the test of time. But these concepts could also be attributed to one character who got killed early so the actor could forge a new path.
Shane Black, famous for his films like Lethal Weapon and Iron Man 3, initially starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and other famous actors as an elite squad of soldiers sent to take out a militia force. However, once they took a hostage to get information, they realized something more dangerous was at play. Instead, they were the latest prey for an invisible killer that stalked the jungle, an alien hunter known to audiences as Predator. Among the victims was Shane Black's Rich Hawkins, who died in the first seven minutes after he tried to chase down an escaped captive, Anna.
The making of Predator had its fair share of ups and downs. One of the issues was the script, which wasn't perfect from the start. According to an interview with producer John Davis, he had taken a liking to Black and his talent for writing. "I met Shane on that movie. Shane was a really great writer and we wanted him to do a rewrite on the [Predator] script. So we put him in the movie because he’s an actor," he explained. Even though Black still appeared in the film, his untimely demise was to serve a higher calling in continuing the film's story. Davis later added, "...we asked him to do a rewrite, and he said he was an actor in the movie and not a writer. So he was the first person we killed. He got killed seven minutes into the movie.”
While his death wasn't the most gruesome by a long shot, it set a precedent. Hawkins was killed offscreen, his death signaled by a burst of blood on Anna's face. But even more scary was how the Predator, totally invisible, picked up Hawkins and rug him into the bushes to be skinned and his skull taken as a trophy. It showed that muscles and bravado were nothing against this creature, and no one in the film was safe.
Thankfully, Black's contributions also helped propel the film into iconic status. And Black even built his career as a director on what he contributed to the film. In fact, he later attempted to return the favor with the sequel, The Predator. Sadly, it didn't go over nearly as well with audiences for several reasons, including characters that audiences didn't find enjoyable.
Regardless, Hawkins' unexpected death was a backdoor into a larger career for Shane Black. However, the story also showed the valuable life lesson that even if a person had a dream for one career path, life could sometimes push someone into the direction they're supposed to go. In Black's case, he entered Hollywood hoping to be an actor and instead became a writer and director.