Arnold Schwarzenegger left the audience stunned during an interview on “Watch What Happens Live” when he revealed that his 1988 comedy, "Twins," was not only a career-defining moment but also the most profitable film of his illustrious career. While "The Terminator" franchise may have dominated box office records, it was "Twins" that handed Schwarzenegger a staggering check exceeding $40 million.
“First place goes to 'Twins,' because we didn’t take salaries; instead, we opted for ownership with a piece of the back end,” Schwarzenegger reminisced about the deal that saw him star alongside Danny DeVito in Ivan Reitman's 1988 comedy. “It was extraordinary. That movie truly took us all the way to the bank.”
When questioned if his earnings from "Twins" surpassed $20 million, Schwarzenegger confirmed that his final payday far exceeded that figure. Pressed further if it crossed the $40 million mark, the actor simply replied, “It was more than that. More than any other movie I’ve ever made.”
In "Twins," Schwarzenegger and DeVito portrayed fraternal twin brothers—an unlikely pairing that tested the boundaries of Schwarzenegger’s versatility as an actor. At the time, Schwarzenegger was already an iconic action hero thanks to his roles in "The Terminator," "Predator," and "Conan the Barbarian." However, his comedic talent remained largely unexplored in mainstream cinema.
Reflecting on why producers were hesitant to cast him in a comedy, Schwarzenegger shared during a recent chat with his son Patrick for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series: “They asked, ‘Why would we cast someone who kills so many people on-screen? The more deaths he causes, the more money we make! Why change that?’ This was the prevailing mindset until Ivan Reitman and Danny DeVito stepped in.”
With no studio willing to gamble on a Schwarzenegger-led comedy, the actor devised a bold plan: “If neither of us takes a salary, we can produce the movie for just $16.5 million. We negotiated a deal where we received 40% of the backend profits. Little did we know, it turned out to be the best decision we ever made.”
"Twins" ultimately grossed an impressive $216 million worldwide at the box office and continued to rake in substantial revenue through home video sales. Despite its monumental success, Schwarzenegger and DeVito never managed to collaborate on a sequel. Plans for a follow-up titled "Triplets," which would have included Eddie Murphy in the cast, fell through after Reitman's untimely passing before filming could commence.
To witness Schwarzenegger recount these fascinating stories firsthand, watch his full appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” in the video below.
