Universal Soldier is a 1992 American sci-fi action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Private Luc Deveraux and Dolphe Lundgren as his sergeant, Andrew Scott – soldiers who were killed in Vietnam but reanimated as genetically enhanced soldiers with super strength and self-healing abilities for a secret military project called the “Universal Soldier” (UniSol) program.
Watch the official trailer below:
“Universal Soldier (1992) – Trailer (HD)” by JohnVexer
Where Was Universal Soldier Filmed in Nevada?
While Universal Soldiers was mostly filmed in Arizona and California, there were some scenes that were filmed in Nevada at the Hoover Dam.
In the movie, Deveraux and Scott are deployed to the Hoover Dam to resolve a hostage situation. Their super strength as UniSols is demonstrated during this scene as Deveraux, Scott, and the rest of their team climb up the side of one of the towers using nothing but a rope and sheer upper body strength.
Fun Fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Jean-Claude Van Damme while ‘Universal Soldier’ was being filmed at the Hoover Dam. Arnold arrived by private jet, which he borrowed from Tom Cruise, and had lunch with his friend Jean-Claude (see photo).
Universal Soldier Franchise
Not only did the original 1992 Universal Soldier inspire a video game of the same name (produced by The Code Monkeys, released by Accolade in 1992), it also spawned a series of films, including Universal Soldier: The Return (1999), Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009), and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012) as well as a few other TV films.
Most recently, The Equalizer writer Richard Wenk revealed in October 2018 that he was working on a re-imagining of Universal Soldier that will focus on one reanimated soldier instead of two (source).