Don't say he didn't warn you: after all, he told you he'd be back!
Since leaving his office as the Governor of California mere weeks ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger's possible return to the hills of Hollywood has been on every action junkie's mind, yours truly included. And now, what we were all hoping for is officially official: Arnie is ready for his big screen comeback.
"Exciting news. My friends at CAA have been asking me for 7 years when they can take offers seriously. Gave them the green light today," the actor-turned-politician-turned-actor-again wrote on Twitter yesterday evening. As a lifelong Schwarzenegger fan, I couldn't be more excited about the news. The only question is, which project should he pursue first? After the jump, we have some suggestions!
"The Expendables 2"
It goes without saying that the world needs more Trent Mauser. Schwarzy's brief but brilliant cameo in "The Expendables" deserves a serious amount of elaboration in the sequel. A three-way showdown between Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis is an action nerd's absolute dream come true, and with Arnold fielding offers again, it's a dream that suddenly isn't too far off.
"Predator 4"
Digging back a bit deeper, how about reprising one of his most classic roles as Major Dutch Schaefer? The "Predator" hero was originally set for a cameo in Robert Rodriguez and Nimrod Antal's "Predators," but his political obligations kept that from happening. Now, the timing works. With those parachutes dropping from the sky at the end of "Predators," I think we all know who should touch down to reclaim his status as the Predators' deadliest foe.
The Director's Chair
Schwarzenegger has expressed interest in returning to Hollywood not just as an actor, but also as a director. There's no arguing that the man has plenty of experience in front of the camera; who wouldn't be interested in seeing how that information translates to a behind-the-lens experience? If nothing else, it's an experiment that all of Schwarzenegger's fans can get behind.
Anything But "Terminator 5"
Unpopular opinion alert: Schwarzenegger shouldn't return to the "Terminator" franchise, at least not yet. The series needs some room to breathe after the back-to-back critical drubbings that "Rise of the Machines" and "Salvation" suffered through. Yes, the clock is ticking on Arnie's ability to flex those cybernetic muscles in front of the camera, but would you really prefer a rushed and poorly-conceived Schwarzenegger-led "Terminator" sequel to a far-off but thoughtfully considered one? I certainly wouldn't – and it's not as if the man is without his options. We want you back, big guy, but only if you're pumping out the high quality iron we remember you best for.