He was a killer cyborg in “Terminator” and battled aliens in “Predator,” but actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger said the biggest paycheck of his career came from playing a goofy brother in a 1988 comedy about genetically engineered twins.
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During a recent appearance on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” the 77-year-old actor said he made more than $40 million from the film “Twins,” which co-starred Danny DeVito and marked Schwarzenegger’s first major foray into comedy.
“I’ve never made more money on a movie,” Schwarzenegger said on the June 23 episode, explaining that he and DeVito waived their upfront salaries in exchange for a share of the film’s profits. “We went all the way to the bank with that one.”
“Twins,” directed by Ivan Reitman, paired the former bodybuilder and DeVito as genetically engineered brothers separated at birth and reunited as adults. The film grossed over $200 million globally, according to Box Office Mojo, and became one of the decade’s most commercially successful comedies.
Rather than collecting a standard paycheck, Schwarzenegger and DeVito negotiated a deal that gave them a percentage of the film’s backend — a term that refers to profit participation after a movie is released.
“It was fantastic,” Schwarzenegger told Cohen. When asked whether he earned $20 million from the film, he laughed. “Oh, much more, come on! What’s the matter with you?”
The financial success of “Twins” came as a surprise to many, given Schwarzenegger’s established reputation at the time as an action star with hits like “The Terminator” (1984) and “Predator” (1987). But his pivot to comedy proved lucrative and opened the door to similar films, including “Kindergarten Cop” (1990) and “Junior” (1994), also directed by Reitman.
According to Schwarzenegger, the earnings from “Twins” surpassed those from any of his action blockbusters. “It was more than any movie I’ve ever made, let’s put it that way,” he said. He estimated his personal take at “more than” $40 million.
Plans were once in place for a sequel titled “Triplets,” which would have starred Schwarzenegger, DeVito, and Eddie Murphy. However, the project was shelved following Reitman’s death in 2022.
“It was ready to go, but Ivan passed away right before we were going to start shooting,” Schwarzenegger said.
Despite the stalled sequel, Schwarzenegger said his bond with DeVito remains strong. Last month, he posted a photo of himself with DeVito and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, captioned: “I love bringing old friends together! It was fantastic to see my dear friend Tony Blair and introduce him to my brother, @dannydevito.”
Schwarzenegger, who served two terms as governor of California from 2003 to 2011, continues to act. He currently stars in the Netflix series “FUBAR,” playing a CIA operative navigating both espionage and retirement alongside actress Monica Barbaro.
Now 77, Schwarzenegger remains a prominent figure in pop culture and politics, often reflecting on his eclectic career that has spanned bodybuilding, cinema, and public service.
Though best known for iconic one-liners and high-octane action scenes, it’s the offbeat charm of “Twins” — and a smart contract — that delivered his biggest box office reward.