No masking Kiwi's delight in horror series

Predator 4

can't come soon enough for one Kiwi fan of the big-budget movie franchise, who has made life-size replicas of its man-eating terror.

Nathaniel Chua predicts he will have spent more than $1000 making the costume replicas by the time they're finished, as well as countless hours perfecting his creations.

"I like the Predator films because at that time when it came out in 1987, there was nothing like it before," he told the Herald. "It was ahead of its time, especially in the make up and special effects department."

Mr Chua has been working on his intricate masks since January, sculpting the Predator's grotesquely scaly face and fanged mouth.

Predator 4 is rumoured to be released in March 2018, with rapper 50 Cent one of its cast members.

Despite the first film's success its sequels Predator 2 and 2010's Predators did not excite the critics.