Editing Arnold Schwarzenegger (section)

=== 1982–2003: Breakthrough and established action star ===
[[File:Arnold Schwarzenegger and Karyn Marshall.JPG|thumb|Schwarzenegger, pictured with 1987 world champion American [[Karyn Marshall]], presenting awards at the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2011 in [[Columbus, Ohio]]]]
Schwarzenegger's breakthrough film was the [[sword and sorcery]] epic ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' in 1982, which was a box-office hit.<ref name="Katz-2006" /> This was followed by a sequel, ''[[Conan the Destroyer]]'', in 1984, although it was not as successful as its predecessor.<ref name="Collis-Terminator">{{Cite news |last=Collis |first=Clark |title=Empire Essay: The Terminator |url=https://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=132648 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927235924/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=132648 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=April 18, 2008 |work=Empire}}</ref> In 1983, Schwarzenegger starred in the promotional video ''[[Rio Carnival|Carnival]] in Rio''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Daly |first=Steve |date=June 12, 1992 |title=Carnival in Rio |url=https://ew.com/article/1992/06/12/carnival-rio/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121062453/https://ew.com/article/1992/06/12/carnival-rio/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |access-date=January 21, 2022 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> In 1984, he made his first appearance as the eponymous character in [[James Cameron]]'s science fiction action film ''[[The Terminator]]''.<ref name="Katz-2006" /><ref name="Profile-2004" /><ref name="Leamer-2005" /> It has been called his acting career's signature role.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2011 |title=Schwarzenegger's back as Terminator |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/schwarzenegger-s-back-as-terminator-2275459.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121061722/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/schwarzenegger-s-back-as-terminator-2275459.html |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |access-date=January 21, 2022 |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> Following this, Schwarzenegger made another sword and sorcery film, ''[[Red Sonja (1985 film)|Red Sonja]]'', in 1985.<ref name="Collis-Terminator" /> During the 1980s, audiences had an appetite for action films, with both Schwarzenegger and [[Sylvester Stallone]] becoming international stars.<ref name="Profile-2004" /> During the [[Schwarzenegger-Stallone rivalry]] they attacked each other in the press, and tried to surpass the other with more on-screen killings and larger weapons.<ref name="pearson20171009">{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Ben |date=October 9, 2017 |title=Schwarzenegger Orchestrated a Legendary Hollywood Troll |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-beyond-fest/ |access-date=July 27, 2020 |website=/Film |archive-date=July 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727050548/https://www.slashfilm.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-beyond-fest/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Schwarzenegger's roles reflected his sense of humor, separating him from more serious action hero films. He made a number of successful action films in the 1980s, such as ''[[Commando (1985 film)|Commando]]'' (1985), ''[[Raw Deal (1986 film)|Raw Deal]]'' (1986), ''[[The Running Man (1987 film)|The Running Man]]'' (1987), ''[[Predator (film)|Predator]]'' (1987), and ''[[Red Heat (1988 film)|Red Heat]]'' (1988).

[[File:Chth arnold schwarzenegger.jpg|thumb|Footprints and handprints of Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of the [[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]] with his catchphrase "[[I'll be back]]"]]

''[[Twins (1988 film)|Twins]]'' (1988), a comedy with [[Danny DeVito]], also proved successful. ''[[Total Recall (1990 film)|Total Recall]]'' (1990) netted Schwarzenegger $10&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{inflation|US|10|1990|r=1|fmt=c}} million today) and 15% of the film's gross. A science fiction script, the film was based on the [[Philip K. Dick]] short story "[[We Can Remember It for You Wholesale]]". ''[[Kindergarten Cop]]'' (1990) reunited him with director [[Ivan Reitman]], who directed him in ''Twins''. Schwarzenegger had a brief foray into directing, first with a 1990 episode of the TV series ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]'', "[[List of Tales from the Crypt episodes#Season 2 (1990)|The Switch]]",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Buck |first=Jerry |date=April 22, 1990 |title=Arnold Schwarzenegger directs |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19900422&id=xdIpAAAAIBAJ&pg=5765,1660751 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903182833/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19900422&id=xdIpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ms4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5765,1660751 |archive-date=September 3, 2015 |access-date=October 19, 2014 |work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and then with the 1992 [[telemovie]] ''[[Christmas in Connecticut (1992 film)|Christmas in Connecticut]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Endrst |first=James |date=April 12, 1992 |title='Connecticut' could use more of Arnold's muscle |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19920412&id=m1ZWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6719,2774672 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903182833/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19920412&id=m1ZWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oesDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6719,2774672 |archive-date=September 3, 2015 |access-date=October 19, 2014 |work=The Register-Guard}}</ref> He has not directed since.

Schwarzenegger's commercial peak was his return as the title character in ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' (1991), which was the highest-grossing film of the year. Film critic [[Roger Ebert]] commented that "Schwarzenegger's genius as a movie star is to find roles that build on, rather than undermine, his physical and vocal characteristics."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=July 3, 1991 |title='Terminator 2: Judgment Day' review by Roger Ebert |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19910703/REVIEWS/107030301/1023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606140553/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19910703%2FREVIEWS%2F107030301%2F1023 |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=August 24, 2010 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> In 1993, the [[National Association of Theatre Owners]] named him the "International Star of the Decade".<ref name="Schwarzenegger.com" /> His next film project, the 1993 self-aware action comedy [[parody|spoof]] ''[[Last Action Hero]]'', was released opposite ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'', and did not do well at the box office. His next film, the comedy drama ''[[True Lies]]'' (1994), was a popular spy film and saw Schwarzenegger reunited with James Cameron.

That same year, the comedy ''[[Junior (1994 film)|Junior]]'' was released, the last of Schwarzenegger's three collaborations with Ivan Reitman and again co-starring Danny DeVito. This film brought him his second Golden Globe nomination, this time for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]]. Around this time, Schwarzenegger was offered a lead role in the well received, box office hit ''[[The Rock (film)|The Rock]]'' but turned it down, a decision he came to regret in the decades that past.<ref>[https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/one-role-arnold-schwarzenegger-always-regret-turning-down/ The one role Arnold Schwarzenegger will always regret turning down: “I can’t commit to that”]</ref> He ultimately choose to make ''[[Eraser (film)|Eraser]]'' (1996), the Christmas comedy ''[[Jingle All The Way]]'' (1996), and the comic book-based ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]'' (1997), in which he played the [[supervillain]] [[Mr. Freeze]] instead. This was his final film before taking time to recuperate from a back injury.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} Following the critical failure of ''Batman & Robin'', his film career and box office prominence went into decline. He returned with the supernatural thriller ''[[End of Days (film)|End of Days]]'' (1999), later followed by the action films ''[[The 6th Day]]'' (2000) and ''[[Collateral Damage (2002 film)|Collateral Damage]]'' (2002), both of which failed to do well at the box office. In 2003, he made his third appearance as the title character in ''[[Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines]]'', which went on to earn over $150&nbsp;million domestically (equivalent to ${{inflation|US|150|2003|r=0|fmt=c}} million today).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=terminator3.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208093821/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=terminator3.htm |archive-date=December 8, 2013 |access-date=December 8, 2013 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref>
[[File:Arnold Schwarzenegger's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.jpeg|thumb|Arnold Schwarzenegger's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
In tribute to Schwarzenegger in 2002, Forum Stadtpark, a local cultural association, proposed plans to build a {{convert|25|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall|-1|sp=us}} ''Terminator'' statue in a park in central [[Graz]]. Schwarzenegger reportedly said he was flattered, but thought the money would be better spent on social projects and the [[Special Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2002 |title=Arnold wants 'Terminator' statue killed |url=http://www.killoggs.com/news/?news=609 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223210646/http://www.killoggs.com/news/?news=609 |archive-date=February 23, 2009 |access-date=April 18, 2008 |publisher=Killoggs}}</ref>