During the eighties and nineties, Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the go-to guys for action movies. But he gave all that up in the 2000′s when he decided to trade in acting for politics. He became the governor of California and retired from Hollywood. Who would have thought the guy who played Conan the Barbarian could run one of the largest states in the country?
Fast forward several years and his term is over, and he’s no longer making moves within the government. Instead, he’s slowly but surely moving back into the spotlight as an entertainer. But after what feels like a lifetime away, can Schwarzenegger return to his former glory?
Shortly after his exit from office, Schwarzenegger took to Twitter to let fans know that he’s back in business. The actor wrote, “Exciting news. My friends at (agency) CAA have been asking me for 7 years when they can take offers seriously. Gave them the green light today.” Schwarzenegger took office in 2003 and his last leading role was in the Terminator sequel Rise of the Machines.
During his absence, there’s been a huge surge of action stars who have been more than willing to fill his void. During his eight years away Hugh Jackman, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham have all become tough competition. They’re younger, more attractive, and more flexible when it comes to doing stunts and fight scenes. The game has changed a lot since Schwarzenegger was on the scene. These days anyone can become an action star — just hire a trainer. Even lanky Adrian Brody beefed up and played the lead in Predators, a franchise that originally starred Schwarzenegger back in the eighties.
For his comeback, Schwarzenegger can go one of two ways: he could play distinguished mentors who teach younger guys the ropes, or he could attempt to hold on to his former glory, which is what Sylvester Stallone has been (successfully) doing for the past five years.
When Schwarzenegger was out of the spotlight we all wanted him to come back, and now that he’s free to do so, we don’t know what to do with him. The 63 year old’s first major project is a comic book and TV show called The Governator, which he’s created with comic legend Stan Lee. As you might suspect, the character combines politics and movies, a direct hybrid of what Schwarzenegger is today.
The Governator will be his first step into today’s entertainment world. We’re sure plenty of live-action projects will follow. He seems to be more than ready for them, but the question is, are we?
