Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name is synonymous with some of the best action films that Hollywood has produced over the years. The former Mr. Olympia has regaled audiences with his skill and prowess as an action superstar in cult films like the Terminator franchise, Predator, Eraser, Commando, and many more, making his one of the industry’s biggest celebrities.
Apart form action, Schwarzenegger has also proved that he is versatile in other genres, especially comedies. The star has entertained viewers with his brilliant performances in films like Kindergarten Cop, Jingle All the Way and the action comedy True Lies. His flair for humor was also seen in another film that surprisingly created a box office record surpassing one of the actor’s biggest films, Terminator.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Twins Created A Historic Record
In 1988, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in Twins, a comedy that followed a man as he tracks down and reunites with his long-lost twin brother who is the complete physical opposite to him, played by Danny DeVito. The movie became an overnight success, opening as the number one film in the US and remained in top position for 2 weeks after that. But the bigger and more historic feat that it achieved was that it was the first film of Schwarzenegger’s that crossed the $100 million mark, even beating out his blockbuster hit, Terminator.
Schwarzenegger who did not take a salary for the film and instead, opted to take a cut of the profits made, was determined to proved that he could handle and perform comedy to perfection. The star spoke about his experience and his decision to take a percentage of the box office profits and said,
“Of course, it was the best investment we’ve ever made. Every one of us says that”.
While Twins received mixed reviews from critics, audiences lapped up the unlikely pairing of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito wholeheartedly and were appreciative of their sparkling chemistry.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Extremely Keen On A Twins Sequel
Twins starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito and directed by Ivan Reitman, became a hugely popular comedy mainly owing to the incongruously perfect pairing of the two lead stars. The film also proved that the Terminator actor had excellent comedic timing. The success of the film among audiences sparked the desire in the actors and Reitman to continue their narrative through a sequel. But with Reitman passing away in 2022, this possibility took a nosedive after the director’s son Jason Reitman failed to show interest in taking it forward. Speaking of the reasons, Schwarzenegger said,
“His father wanted to do it really badly. I wanted to do it really badly. Danny DeVito wanted to do it really badly. We had the financing. When his father passed away, Jason says, ‘I never liked the idea’ and put a hold on it.”
Following this, the Austrian superstar revealed that he is currently working on another script with his Twins co-star Danny DeVito whom he praised as being one of the funniest and most talented actors he has worked with.
Twins is available for rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV
Source: The Digital Fix
