The Predator: Olivia Munn gets scene featuring registered sex offender cut

The Predator is the sixth film in the franchise

A scene has been cut from The Predator after Olivia Munn, one of the new film's stars, discovered she had acted opposite a registered sex offender.

Twentieth Century Fox said it cut the scene featuring Steven Wilder Striegel.

Wilder Striegel has known director Shane Black for 14 years, and Black said he was trying "to help a friend".

But Munn wrote on Twitter: "Those who know about abuse and not only do nothing but continue to put abusers in positions of power are complicit."

Wilder Striegel was arrested in 2009 and was put on the register for contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified sex offence.

The Los Angeles Times said he tried to lure a 14-year-old female into a sexual relationship via the internet.

A Fox statement said: "Our studio was not aware of Mr Striegel's background when he was hired. Several weeks ago, when the studio learned the details, his one scene in the film was removed within 24 hours.

"We were not aware of his background during the casting process due to legal limitations that impede studios from running background checks on actors."

Olivia Munn attended The Predator premiere in Toronto

Wilder Striegel was due to play a jogger who repeatedly hits on Munn's character in the film, according to the LA Times.

In a statement to the paper, the director said: "I personally chose to help a friend. I can understand others might disapprove, as his conviction was on a sensitive charge and not to be taken lightly."

But he said he long believed Wilder Striegel was "caught up in a bad situation versus something lecherous".

However, Munn wrote: "Wilder said Shane was 'aware of the facts' of his arrest. He made a 'personal choice' to continually work with a convicted sex offender, but I didn't have a choice. That decision was made for me. And that's not OK."

Striegel told the paper: "Shane can speak for himself, but I'm quite certain that if he felt I was a danger in any way to have around, he would not have."

The film is the sixth in the Predator franchise and had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday.