12 Movie Franchises That Ruined Their Iconic Character
11. Predator (The Predator)
Depending on how you choose to look at it, the Predator has been ruined at least twice if not three times over the course of its three-decade cinematic tenure.
The 1987 classic original single-handedly cemented the camouflaged alien creature as an unforgettable movie monster, though the decidedly more uneven Predator 2 made some incredibly ill-advised decisions, such as having the Predator seeking refuge in an old couple's apartment to recuperate.
Things got worse with Alien vs. Predator almost 15 years later, inexplicably teaming the hunter with a human to help take down a Xenomorph Queen, and though 2010's Predators briefly restored the iconic creature's glory, Shane Black's recent The Predator once again derailed the antagonist's goodwill with most fans.
In a bungled attempt to re-imagine the franchise as a rich cinematic universe, it's revealed that the main Predator in the new movie is actually trying to save humanity from a bigger, genetically mutated race of Ultimate Predators (rendered in ghastly CGI).
That doesn't stop the Predator slaughtering many, many humans upon arriving on Earth, before being killed and gifting humanity an Iron Man-esque "Predator Killer" suit. Right.
In addition to the contradictory motives and actions, The Predator just softened the edges of the beloved monster too much, stripping away the specialness and over-complicating things for no smart reason.
Of all the goofy and eye-rolling depictions the character has suffered through over the decades, this is by far the most infuriating, especially as The Predator's box office failure has put the franchise back in the closet for the foreseeable future.