Jim and John Thomas are an American screenwriting duo based in California, best known for Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990), Executive Decision (1996), Wild Wild West (1999), Behind Enemy Lines (2001) and the TV series Hard Time on Planet Earth .
Jim Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | James E. Thomas Needles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Relatives | John Thomas (brother) |
John Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | John C. Thomas Needles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Relatives | Jim Thomas (brother) |
They were born in Needles, California and raised in Bakersfield.
Jim worked as lifeguard, teacher, ditch digger and carpenter, attended law school and worked as a grip and soundman in low-budget features.
John worked as lifeguard, teacher, ditch digger and carpenter, as well as attempting to be a writer.
In 1983, Jim had the idea that would become Predator and asked his brother for help in developing a script. [1] The brothers took inspiration from a joke circulating Hollywood concerning the Rocky franchise and its lead character, and wrote a screenplay based on it. It was originally titled Hunter. [2] The script was picked up by 20th Century Fox in 1985, and turned over to producer Joel Silver who, based on his experience with Commando , decided to turn the science fiction pulp storyline into a big-budget film.
Jim worked on a number of Hollywood productions through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, such as The Rescue (1988), Two-Fisted Tales (1992) and Mission to Mars (2000).
The brothers created the short-lived TV series Hard Time on Planet Earth . Scheduled opposite NBC's Unsolved Mysteries and ABC's Growing Pains on Wednesdays, Hard Time on Planet Earth ranked 65th out of 81 programs upon its premiere. [3] Ratings for the series never improved and the series was canceled by CBS in May 1989. [4]