Arnold Schwarzenegger Says His Most Lucrative Movie Wasn’t “Terminator”

Arnold Schwarzenegger might be best known for his iconic “I’ll be back” line, but according to him, his biggest payday didn’t come from cyborgs or saving the world. It came from a goofy comedy about long-lost brothers.

During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live on June 23, the 77-year-old action star shocked fans by revealing that Twins, the 1988 buddy comedy with Danny DeVito, was his most financially successful film.

“We went all the way to the bank with that one,” Arnold laughed.

The secret? No upfront paycheck. Instead, Arnold and Danny made a smart business move and took a percentage of the movie’s profits. That gamble paid off big time.

“…we had gotten no money, no salary,” Arnold explained. Host Andy Cohen chimed in, “You got a piece of the backend!” and Arnold agreed, grinning, “Exactly. And it was was fantastic.”

In Twins, Arnold played a superhuman science experiment opposite Danny’s very not-super twin brother. The oddball chemistry was a hit, turning the film into a box office surprise and a goldmine for the stars.

Arnold also shared that a sequel called Triplets was in the works and would’ve featured Eddie Murphy as their third brother. Sadly, the project fell apart after director Ivan Reitman passed away.

Though Triplets never made it to the big screen, Arnold and Danny aren’t done yet, as Danny teased in 2024 that the duo is cooking up a brand-new movie. “We missed Twins 2 because he became governor,” Danny joked to CNN, “which he should have done Twins 2 instead of becoming governor.”

Arnold served as California’s governor from 2003 to 2011, putting his movie career on hold. And while his political journey was historic, fans still wish for more Arnold-Danny moments on screen.

Meanwhile, the Terminator himself had no trouble picking a low point in his film career. When asked about his least favorite movie from the Terminator franchise, he didn’t hesitate: “I would say the worst is probably the number four.”

That would be Terminator Salvation from 2009, which starred Christian Bale and didn’t feature Arnold at all. “How do you do a Terminator movie without me being in the Terminator movie?” he quipped. “Doesn’t make any sense.”

Outside of Hollywood and politics, Arnold’s focus has shifted to the planet. He recently reunited with Danny and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair ahead of his environmental summit in Vienna. “I love bringing old friends together!” he wrote on Instagram, adding, “It was fantastic to see my dear friend Tony Blair and introduce him to my brother, @dannydevito.”