Arnold Schwarzenegger movie had unique contract clause saw him paid more than The Terminator
The unexpected film made Schwarzenegger more than any other movie in his career
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the world’s most recognisable celebrities, having made an absolute fortune from his work in The Terminator franchise.
His part in the franchise includes him spawning maybe the most iconic film line ever in ‘I’ll be back’, and yet it isn’t the film he made the most money from.
Schwarzenegger revealed this week that his most lucrative film financially is not any of his many action films or franchises, but is instead a relatively forgotten comedy from 1988.
The actor has always been far more financially clever than many may realise, with his money from acting turning him into a billionaire due to savvy investments.
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When making Twins, however, he managed to put a clause into his contract which saw him rake in a lot of money.
How did Arnold Schwarzenegger make the most money on Twins of his whole career?
Schwarzenegger turned Twins into the most successful film of his career in large part due to the production of the film struggling to cobble together the money to make it.
He starred alongside Danny Devito in the 80s comedy, where the pair were fraternal twin brothers separated at birth.
In order to get the film’s budget under $16.5 million, Schwarzenegger and Devito agreed to forego any upfront salary. Instead, the pair agreed with the studio that they would own 40 percent of the back end of the film, essentially betting on its success.
This paid off, with the film being a huge hit and earning him a bigger payday than The Terminator.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make for Twins and what has he said about it?
Whilst we don’t know the exact figure, Schwarzenegger has confirmed in a recent interview that he made upwards of $40 million for it.
The film made over $216 million worldwide, far above expectations, meaning that Devito and Schwarzenegger’s cut was likely more than $80 million.
Though the exact split has not been revealed, Schwarzenegger was asked about his most lucrative role in a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
When asked he said: “Well, number one was ‘Twins’ because we got no money for the salary but ownership with a piece of the back end. It was fantastic. We went all the way to the bank with that.”
Cohen first asked if he made more than $20 million, which Arnie confirmed he did. Then he was asked if he made more than $40 million, to which he said: "It was more than that. It was more than any movie I ever made."
Topics: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Film, Celebrity
Michael Slavin