Jim Thomas

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.

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. 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. 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. Ratings for the series never improved and the series was canceled by CBS in May 1989.