Forget 'Hasta la Vista, Baby!' Arnie May Be Eyeing Hollywood Return

You know how Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken time off from his life as a Big Action Movie Star to serve as governor of the state of California and make sure everyone here has health insurance and all of that stuff? Well, we hear from the folks who have been walking the WGA strike picket line that The Guv has floated word to his peeps to spread the message that once his last term as the state's biggest cheese ends in January 2011, he would like to resume his role as a boxoffice superstar/film icon.

A few high-profile writers of action films who wished not to be ID'd (you know how that is) were heard conferring that before the strike hit, agents were putting out feelers for material and pitches to develop projects with Schwarzenegger in mind. Nothing specific yet. All just preliminary stuff. What this means is that Arnold isn't so very interested in running for the Senate and potentially spending all of that time in boring old Washington, D.C., California/Austria boy that he is. He also still can't run for president, as we know, since he isn't a natural-born U.S. citizen. There was once talk about trying to amend the Constitution and all of that, but our forefathers put the kibosh on that idea.

Schwarzenegger's agent at William Morris, Cary Berman, was on vacation for the holidays and unavailable for comment. But we did manage to catch up with Schwarzenegger's spokesman in the governor's office, Aaron McLear, an accommodating gent who said he would run this little query past his big boss man -- and did! Take note, publicity people: this kind of thing makes us trade types really happy.

Here is what McLear had to say: "Once the governor's current term is up, he may go back to the movies, or devote energy to business, or continue working on environmental issues, or run a foundation -- or start painting!" He continued, "But the governor has decided nothing final as yet and is devoting his energy to the job of running the state."

And what about any political future beyond 2010? McLear's quote mentioned nothing about that. Was McLear aware that his statement included no political option?

"Yes," he replied.

Hmmmmm...OK then. Did we just hear Schwarzenegger's political days are likely over in a mere three years? It sounded that way.

What evidently implanted this comeback thought in Schwarzenegger's mind, it's being theorized, is the recent success of his old Planet Hollywood buds Sylvester Stallone (age 61) and Bruce Willis (age 52). Their "Rocky" and "Die Hard" sequels found sizeable audiences in 2007, seemingly against the "they're just too dang old for this" odds. Also, Ah-nold was recently seen making the rounds with Harrison Ford, who at 65 is returning to his legendary Indiana Jones role -- and apparently kicking butt like the Indy of old.

Having just turned 60 himself, Arnold has to be thinking he's chronologically primed for a similar Second Coming (as it were). He'll be a mere toddler of 63 upon departing Sacramento. And, as we've come to know, action stars never die; they just blast away.

Comments

[ABking]

This is a SMART move by Arnie to start developing film projects a few years before 2011! Fans and moviegoers will welcome the oak like the second coming! Hopefully, some of Arnold's older film projects like the new CONAN film by John McTiernan get made with Arnie; Hopefully Arnie is in TERMINATOR SALVATION, T5 and T6; Fans want James Cameron to direct Schwarzenegger's CRUSADE (this would be a GREAT epic action film); Fans want TRUE LIES 2 and DOC SAVAGE. Welcome back to films Governor, we've missed you!!!!

[Andrew]

It's been bad for action movies these past several years without a "real action hero" taking on the bad guys. Thank god for SYLVESTER STALLONE! He is the only "real man" that has been making some GREAT old school action hero films with ROCKY BALBOA and now RAMBO (2008)! That is why I was happy to read you will be back after your final term is up. That is a VERY SMART move for you to return to your day job. You have helped California so much already...JOB WELL DONE Arnie! Now regarding your return...PLEASE make TRUE LIES 2 like you promised as well as a team up film with pal STALLONE! Throw in CRUSADE and the next 3 TERMINATOR films and boy do you have a line up! WESTWORLD would still be fun as would KING CONAN! Heck, maybe even try dusting off that old Nazi film WITH WINGS AS EAGLES and DOC SAVAGE and you can call it a day. So glad you are coming BACK like you always promised!

[mike]

Arnie, this is GREAT news...your a great gov...but you know all the fans Want you back in movies! True lies 2 would be great! maybe Westworld etc...

[Peter]

Thank you Mr. Schwarzenegger for finally letting the world and fans know you are coming back to action films. It is really a great time to come back with Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone about to pull in major box-office dollars as INDIANA JONES and RAMBO again.

I agree with ABking when he said you should give your great filmmaker friend James Cameron CRUSADE so he can re-write it for you and direct you in it. If it's one thing we fans have been waiting for is a team-up with you and Cameron again. Maybe Jim will put you in AVATAR and BATTLE ANGEL. Hell, why don't you buy the rights to DOC SAVAGE from Sony and director Sam Raimi so James Cameron can direct you in it! That film could be a new INDIANA JONES style epic action franchise.

As you know in todays Hollywood, franchise's rule the business so I wish you are apart of TERMINATOR 4, TERMINATOR 5 and TERMINATOR 6. You should make TRUE LIES 2 with Cameron because that film would be a major hit. Make TRUE LIES 2 hard, violent, fun and political like Stallone's RAMBO.

Rumors suggest that your PREDATOR director John McTiernan is thinking about a new CONAN film, so maybe you should talk to him and financier Avi Lerner at Mellinium Films. If John Milius' KING CONAN is dead, at least make a new CONAN film with McT.

We await your return.

[Carvin]

Please comeback with KING CONAN!

[Harry]

Arnold, since Terminator 3 was not directed by your best friend James "the man" Cameron, please convince him to take time to direct you in TRUE LIES 2. Make True Lies your new BILLION dollar franchise and make a couple more action packed, hand-to-hand combat True Lies films!

[Distressed]

Has everyone lost their minds including the writer of this article???? Forget about three years from now...I want to know what Arnold is going to do to help end this STRIKE before there is no business for him to return to!!!
He has been totally silent as far as I know.
Any comment from Mr. McLear about that????
Signed an out of work, very worried Costume Designer on the television side.

[Optomistic]

If Arnold could help, don't you think he would. Give the guy credit for what he is doing for the state of CA.

By the time 2011 comes, he would have served CA for 8 years give or take. It's time he had some fun and make some movies for himself and starte going back to his fun day job with pals James Cameron, John McTiernan and more.

I'm sure the writers and costume designers will get plenty of work when Schwarzenegger films like TRUE LIES 2, KING CONAN, TERMINATOR SALVATION and CRUSADE are made!

[Distressed]

No one is denying Arnold a little fun...

After reading this article though, I am convinced that the reason he has been so silent is because he does not want to get involved at all and ruin his chances of making that 'comeback' that Ray Richmond is talking about.

It is unconscionable for the WGA and the AMPTP to walk away from the talks. Both sides should be locked in a room until they come up with a solution...too much and too many people's livelihoods are at stake.

If someone like the Movie Star/Governor does
not get involved and get both sides back to the table 'at the least' this strike will have a far greater impact than anyone can imagine!!!

What say you Governor?

[Optomistic]

Distressed, I agree that anyone affected by the strike (writers, costume designers ect) should get way more money because you guys make films work.

Good luck and I hope Arnie can do something without heat coming his way when he does come back to action films.

On a good note, maybe you (distressed) can work on a future Arnie film like True Lies 2!

[ABking]

Arnie, please go to this link I have provided and watch your pal STALLONE doing non stop wild action and stunts galore in the new RAMBO film due out January 2008...then decide to make TRUE LIES 2 with James Cameron directing when you come back in 2011.

In TRUE LIES 2, do less special effects and more hand-to-hand combat fighting and stunts!

Here is the KICK ASS "RAMBO" link:

http://www.movieweb.com/video/V07L59ikquzGMO

[A]

While fans are suggesting what future films you might want to revisit, maybe you might want to make a full blown war movie sequel with your popular 1985 cult blockbuster Commando.

This is a cult action classic and there is a website dedicated to this film. With the number of hits www.Commandofans.com gets a month, maybe you should have writers bring back Col. John Matrix for a sequel to Commando.

Call it "Commandos" and you can lead a team in combat like you did in Predator. Here is the link to the website, enjoy Arnie:

http://www.commandofans.com/home.html

[Mark]

Mr. Schwarzenegger, how's this for a plan to return:) !!!

TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FUTURE BEGINS

TRUE LIES 2 directed by James Cameron

CRUSADE directed by you Arnold or Cameron

WITH WINGS AS EAGLES directed by Cameron

DOC SAVAGE directed by Cameron

TRUE LIES 3 directed by you Arnold or Cameron

BATTLE ANGEL directed by Cameron

Arnie, I guess my point is, either you direct your future movies like Stallone and Clint Eastwood...I'm sure you're a great filmmaker and can't wait to find out...or you have your best friend director James Cameron direct most of your future film projects.

Everyone misses the days when you and Cameron gave the world THE TERMINATOR, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, TRUE LIES and T2:3D.

Not that I need to tell you this but you should have Cameron dust off CRUSADE and you two collaborate on it!

THANKS Governor:)

[Mark]

Arnie, PLEASE buy the rights to DOC SAVAGE and create a brand new action extravaganza franchise like INDIANA JONES and RAMBO.

Doc Savage is PERFECT for you. I once heard James Cameron owned the rights. I think Sam Rammi and Sony do but maybe you could buy them back and own your project.

[Randy]

That is a great idea Mark! Governor Schwarzenegger should definetly pursue the film rights to a fresh and original Arnold movie with Doc Savage.

The box-office could be spectacular and Arnold would make a strong comeback with a huge action epic such as that.

I saw how Stallone looks in the new Rambo film and if Arnie does Doc Savage, I'm sure his biceps and ripped physique will be on display and show the world that a 60+ year young action star can kick anyones ass!

[Phill]

Arnie, since people are already talking about you coming back to Hollywood action films, why not make a major announcement soon. Get one of your old film projects that have been developed for years off the ground and when 2008 comes, announce to the world what film you're doing for 2011.

True Lies 2 is the best option. Maybe you can have Cameron direct the sequel and if not, maybe you should do like Stallone and direct True Lies 2 yourself!

[David]

While True Lies 2 would become a huge megahit both domestic and worldwide (if done really smart mixing action and politics) I believe Schwarzenegger should do Doc Savagae.

Writer/Director Frank Darabont once said Doc Savage is a better suited role for Arnie more than Terminator or Conan.

I think with Indiana Jones on it's way, Arnie would be smart to buy the rights from Sony Pictures like someone suggested and have a really capable and smart filmmaker direct the film.

Maybe Paul Verhoeven, John McTiernan or James Cameron!

[chuck]

What i really want is Arnold to return to the Predator series. I want him in AVP 3 to just wreak havoc and kick some much deserved ass.

[Larry]

Forget about Arnie in AvP3, Arnie and Fox should sign a deal and do a bunch of fan favorite action films that would become huge blockbuster smashes at the box-office.

Arnie could make PREDATOR 3 and get John McTiernan do direct again. Then he could do TRUE LIES 2 with Jim Cameron. Cameron could also get Arnie to play the cyborg/hunter Ido in the big budget robot film BATTLE ANGEL.

All those films would become iconic for the oak. Bring back Dutch Schafer and Harry Tasker for some really bad ass hard R-rated action sequels!

[Artie]

Arnold always wanted to make SGT.ROCK for Warner Brothers and Joel Silver. If Arnie is making TERMINATOR SALVATION for WB, why not tell Silver he still wants to play Sgt.Rock when he comes back to films.

[ABking]

The biggest comeback film for Arnie to set up for a x-mas 2011 release would be DOC SAVAGE. I hope that's why he was talking with Harrison Ford, so he can ask him how it feels to play such a great adventure role.

DOC SAVAGE would become a blockbuster 200 million box-office mega hit. Please Arnie, sign on to Doc Savage and get a huge filmmaker to direct it.

You need to set up an iconic film character for the future!

[Savage Fan]

Doc Savage would become a bigger hit than True Lies 2 I think. Arnold, you should really try to get this superhero film about the greatest action adventure character--Doc Savage--off the ground before someelse is casted as the muscle bound hero!

[Crom]

Arnie, if you're gonna do one film for the fans, just one film, I think everyone would agree that that film should be KING CONAN with John Milius. Warner Brothers owns that bad ass script.

Conan is your other legendary film character next to TERMINATOR. There has to be a way that the owners of the Conan property can still make KING CONAN with you even if they make a younger new Conan film.

Please make KING CONAN a reality Governor!

[Jason Bauz]

SGT.ROCK is a great idea. Warner Brothers needs a legendary action star to play a legendary action character...namely ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER!

Arnie, you have always wanted to make a war film, you should finally make SGT.ROCK. Make it one of your first films out of office and make it as raw and crazy as RAMBO.

SGT.ROCK could become a fun action war film in the vein of PREDATOR, but without the sci-fi aspect.

Sign another Warner Brothers deal and make SGT.ROCK, KING CONAN and WESTWORLD. Also TERMINATOR SALVATION, TERMINATOR 5 and TERMINATOR 6 from the WB.

[ABking]

Remember this article Arnie in 1999 from AINT-IT-COOL.COM:

Schwarzenegger, Frank Darabont & Chuck Russell to film DOC SAVAGE, THE MAN OF BRONZE!!!!

Holy Mary Mother Of Invention! I am soooooo jonesed right now. I’m sorry folks, this just punches all the buttons for me.
Today, over at THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Zorianna Kit (a really cool lady I’ve met a couple of times) broke the scoop that Chuck “MASK” Russell and Frank “SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION” Darabont have struck a deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger to star as Clark Savage, Jr.... The Man of Bronze.... DOC SAVAGE!!!

Now, I am a GIGANTIC Doc Savage nutcase. In fact, just this weekend up at CONvergence, I was ranting and raving about how somebody needs to do a kickass DOC SAVAGE film, because that George Pal one, while I love George Pal dearly, just completely missed the boat. Leave it to a pair of geeks like Russell and Darabont to come through for us.
If Arnold was created on the Earth for a reason it was to play DOC SAVAGE. It plays to all of his strengths and right now... Somewhere on Earth, Paul Ivy is screaming with joy.

Now before we get all excited, this is ‘in the script’ stage, and Russell, Darabont and Schwarzenegger all have one prior film commitment before they could get together on this one. So in all likely chances this film will be coming to our screens in 2001 at the earliest. But... Ya know what? 2001 would have DOC SAVAGE and LORD OF THE RINGS, if the crystal ball holds it’s vision nice and stable!

Now, I’ll give a quick breakdown for what composes a DOC SAVAGE movie.

First off, it had better be a PERIOD film set in the thirties. It has got to be serious as a heartbeat with zero camp injected. Doc is the key figure in a team of characters that all consider each other as peers. Doc does not KILL everyone, instead... shock...gasp... He captures the bad guy and performs brain surgury to wipe clean his evil urges (NOTE: We don’t actually need to see Arnold performing Brain Surgury!) It is a film crying out to kick Indiana Jones’ ass.

Brig. General Theodore Marley Brooks (aka “HAM”) is the best dressed, sharp witted honest lawyer the world has ever scene. He carries a sword cane, with a blade coated with a sleeping chemical that instantly affects the victim of his thrust! Ham loves to tease Monk mercilessly.

Lt. Col. Andrew Blodgett Mayfair (aka “MONK”) is an odd slightly simian-featured brilliant chemist that yearns for a good fight in the best Victor McLaglen brawl-y way. He is also quite fond of causing “Ham” as much discomfort as possible, unless it somehow endangers the mission, during which he is all business. He is not a buffoon. He has a pet pig named Habeas Corpus, but this pig does NOT travel everywhere with him like in the George Pal version!

Col. John Renwick (aka “RENNY”) is a fantastic engineer (mechanical, civil, etc) that has abnormally large fists and often times punches his way through wood paneled doors. He often time exclaims, “Holy Cow” and loves being in a no-win scenario.
William Harper Littlejohn (aka “JOHNNY”) is a noted geologist/archealogist that is extremely tall and thin. He’s blind in one eye, and is fond of large words.

Maj. Thomas J Roberts (aka “LONG TOM”) is the short statured electirical genius of the group, who has two gold front teeth, large ears and is a tough little fucker in a fight. I’ve always been fond of this fella.
That’s the crew. They work in tandem with Doc, and this is very much an ensemble film, or had better be. This isn’t a film where the above 5 guys get killed in the first thirty minutes leaving Arnold to kill everyone left behind. This is an ensemble movie.

My pick for a story to adapt is THE SARGASSO OGRE, it’s my fave Doc Savage book, followed closely by THE THOUSAND HEADED MAN.

If you hear the slightest inkling about this film.... Let me know. If you have the script, I would LOVE to read it. I’ve had my Doc Savage Certificate of Savagery hanging on my wall all my life, and this is a film I hope and pray nothing but good things happen with. Please dear lord.... this is a cool one!

THE DOC SAVAGE CODE
Let me strive every moment of my life, to make myself better and better, to the best of my ability, that all may profit by it.

Let me think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who need it, with no regard for anything but justice.

Let me take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage.

Let me be considerate of my country, of my fellow citizens and my associates in everything I say and do.

Let me do right to all, and wrong no man.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/3914

With the box-office success of Jerry Bruckheimer's NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS and the upcoming INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULLS coming out, Arnie should buy the rights to DOC SAVAGE!

[James]

TRUE LIES 2 would make over 200 million at the box-office if directed by James Cameron.

[Clowie]

Wasn't the original script for True Lies 2 suppose to have Harry Tasker and Tom Arnolds' Albert Gibson character go up against the Russians?

With Russian bad guys from the cold war coming up again in the new Indiana Jones movie due out this summer, I think it would be great if Arnie and Cameron went back to the old True Lies 2 script and filmed it.

Make sure Harry Tasker is a mean old bad ass to show that Arnie still has what it takes to kick ass.

[ABking]

"True Lies 2" Script: Secrets Exposed!

Reported By: TheARNOLDFANS.com Staff
Thursday, August 24, 2007

Every week TheArnoldFans gets emails from people from around the world expressing how much they miss Arnold in films.

Schwarzenegger has been running for office since a few months after Terminator 3 - so just imagine all of the films that Arnold COULD HAVE been attached to since T3.

This very website's petition got Arnold to commit to "King Conan: Crown of Iron" and said would follow T3 with a 2004 release date. This Conan film naturally died when Arnold had a new political dream.

So what was to be his 2005 Summer film? ABking tells us it was True Lies 2 and we now have it's script details!

Thanks to some heavy research at aintitcool.com, TAFs news contributor ABking found out that "Nanobot 800" had once scooped the 2002 shooting draft for TRUE LIES 2. So far no website has reported the shooting draft. In the sequel, the object of desire and pursuit was to be Russian Missile Targeting Boards. These weapons of mass destruction and there deadly EMP powers are used to guide intercontinental ballistic missiles. Dana Tasker (Elisha Dusku) is involved with a sexually active partner of the opposite sex that Harry does not approve of. Partner Albert Gib (Tom Arnold), Spencer Triby (Charlton Heston), Faisal and Dana were all going to come back as major characters.

TRUE LIES 2, scripted by Jeff Eastin, had a new fem-fetale by the name of Adrian Sturm gets introduced as a major bad girl. She apparently has a pre-Helen history with Harry, whom must assume a past identity to try and re-woo her to discover the location of the missles and the evil plot.

The Russian mafia also fit into the scheme of things and their involvment would amount to some major blood and guts violence. At this point the plot becomes quite complicated. Lots of double crossing.

The suspicion angle of the first film is flipped, with Helen suspecting and investigating. Her character is much less scatter brained and comical, much more take care of business. Air, land and water battles occur including a metal submarine action scene.

The synopsis on that script starts off with a Tagline stating: Trust is the Foundation of any Good Marriage.

That was a bit of the pitch that got Jeff the job. In this weaker version, Harry and Helen are having problems. Now that the secret is out of the bag and Helen is working with Harry all the time (she's had some training since the last film) Helen feels that work takes precedence over their marriage in Harry's eyes. Meanwhile, they are crossing the chunnel on one of them nifty Chunnel trains. A biochemist character has invented some deadly biological weapon and there seems to be some wrong hands that want to procure it. Harry and Helen have to stop that and protect the good Doctor.

A terrorist group blows the two entrances of the Chunnel and begin flooding it. To make a long story short, they completely botch the job and lose the Doctor and possibly have doomed the world. It seems that some strange Chinese Communist group is out to obtain the Doctors work and hold the world in terror.

Albert Gib has been doing his usual nosing around Harry and Helen's life and finds out evidence that points that Helen may very well be turning into a double agent for some sort of Eastern European agency. This of course sets of an inner paranoia inside of Harry. And his ultra-keen powers of observation begin watching for the slightest chance that she is out to do him in.

Meanwhile, they must work together to get this Doctor back along with his secrets, all the while Harry doesn't trust Helen and is always on pens and needles believing that at any second she'll try to assassinate him.

If the first draft had been made in 1998 or 1999, it would have been a strong first draft, but the Russian themed 2002 version sounds much stronger and would even have Arnie the opportunity to speak Russian like he once did for RED HEAT.

Chances are also good that by this time, if Arnold stayed with movies, we would have possibly have seen the Oak star in "I Am Legend" instead of Will Smith, a sequel to "King Conan" as well as "True Lies 2" and more! Speaking on behalf of all Arnold fans worldwide, we can say to the Governor: PLEASE, COME BACK TO MOVIE SOON!!!

Thanks to ABking for the TL2 scoop!