THE PREDATOR Director Shane Black Releases Another Statement After Today's Controversy
Earlier today, we found out that Shane Black had given a friend of his a scene in The Predator despite being aware of his criminal past, and now the director has issued another statement on the matter...
Controversy has been swirling around The Predator and Shane Black since the news broke that the director had given a small part in the film to a friend of his, Steven Wilder Striegel, despite being aware of the fact that he was a registered sex offender.
Olivia Munn, who shared a scene with Striegel, brought this to the studio's attention and the sequence was removed from the final cut - but it was too late to stop the inevitable backlash.
At the time, Black claimed that he wasn't aware of the extent of his friend's crimes, and has now elaborated with a follow-up statement:
“Having read this morning’s news reports, it has sadly become clear to me that I was misled by a friend I really wanted to believe was telling me the truth when he described the circumstances of his conviction. I believe strongly in giving people second chances - but sometimes you discover that chance is not as warranted as you may have hoped.
After learning more about the affidavit, transcripts and additional details surrounding Steve Striegel’s sentence, I am deeply disappointed in myself. I apologize to all of those, past and present, I’ve let down by having Steve around them without giving them a voice in the decision.”
Munn has since responded over Twitter, and it doesn't sound like she's buying it:
What do you guys make of Black's statement? Will this have any impact on your decision to see The Predator? Drop us a comment in the usual place.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.