Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Which Film Earned Him the Biggest Paycheck of His Career

By fypfeed. | Entertainment & Culture | 30 June 2025

Arnold Schwarzenegger has lifted the curtain on an intriguing chapter of his Hollywood journey, and revealed which movie brought him the biggest payoff during his professional career. Although many may think it was the biggest of his action movies like The Terminator or Predator The truth is quite different.

The bodybuilder, actor, and actor aged 77 as well as former governor of California, long hailed as one of the film industry’s most profitable stars — has confirmed that the comedy of 1988 Twins where He starred with Danny DeVito, became the most lucrative movie of his career.

A Surprise Beyond the Action Films

Schwarzenegger is a recognizable face in the action-packed films that are explosive. From the strong cyborg killer in the film The Terminator (1984) and the combat-ready soldier from Commando (1985) and the uncompromising hunting character In Predator (1987) His career was built upon high-octane action scenes.

The majority of fans believe it is likely that one of those blockbusters each one of which made hundreds of millions across the globe is what would have earned him the biggest sum of money.

However, during an performance in the show Watch What Happens Live on the show with Andy Cohen, Schwarzenegger revealed the opposite. “Number one was Twins, because we got no money for the salary but ownership with a piece of the back end,” Schwarzenegger said.

The Birth of Twins

The film was directed by Ivan Reitman, already famous for Ghostbusters, Twins was released in the month of December 1988. The film told the story of two twins fraternal–Julius (Schwarzenegger) as well as Vincent (DeVito)–who had been separated when they were born. Julius develops into a strong, tall and shrewd, whereas Vincent turns into a street-savvy hustler. Their reunions create comic battles as well as heartfelt moments.

At first it appeared odd. Hollywood insiders questioned whether audiences would agree with Schwarzenegger famous for his dramatic action roles in comedic settings. “They thought it was crazy,” Schwarzenegger acknowledged in a separate interview to Variety. “They told us that the more people this actor kills onscreen and it’s the better money that we earn. Why would we want to put his character in a comedic film?”

However, Reitman did believe in potential for chemistry that existed between Schwarzenegger and DeVito and the bet resulted in a spectacular return.

The Legendary Deal

What was what made Twins amazing was not just its plot but the novel financial arrangement that was behind the scenes. Instead of taking conventional salaries, Schwarzenegger, DeVito, and Reitman struck a unique deal together with Universal Pictures.

They also waived their initial payment which reduced the production budget by $16.5 million. They received 40 percent of the film’s final revenues–meaning they were directly involved in the film’s success financially upon its the film’s release.

It was an opportune decision. If the film had failed it would have made far lower than their usual Hollywood costs. If the film did succeed the profits would be remarkable.

It did succeed.

Box Office Success

When it was released, Twins became an international phenomenon. Despite its unusual premise viewers embraced the odd pair. The film earned over $216 million in the world and surpassed expectations.

In the case of Schwarzenegger and DeVito the bet paid off beyond their wildest dreams. According to estimates from industry experts, they were rewarded with hundreds of millions of dollars in total the profits of their back-end share exceeding the amount of $80 million.

“It was amazing. We walked through the entire bank on the money,” Schwarzenegger recalled with smile.

Why the Deal Was Revolutionary

The Twins agreement was revolutionary for Hollywood in the era of. Historically, only the top producers or directors could bargain points at the back end and actors were typically reliant on salary-in-addition.

Schwarzenegger’s choice to risk his salary to participate in the profit showed his confidence in the project as well as his increasing business expertise.

It also altered the way studios looked at big stars. When actors would take a risk for themselves, they would be able to get more lucrative contracts, something later replicated by A-listers such as Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr. as well as Jack Nicholson.

Learn on Twins Twins

Its success Twins was a major tenet that has shaped the career of Schwarzenegger: taking risk-taking that is calculated can yield amazing benefits. For an individual who had overcome expectations in fitness, Hollywood, and eventually politics, this business move was yet another instance of his unusual route.

The film’s comic success also helped expand his career. Schwarzenegger would later appear in a variety of other comedic roles such as Elementary Cop (1990) as well as Junior (1994) and, later, alongside DeVito as well as Reitman. The films consolidated his name not only as a renowned action figure, but also as an incredibly multi-faceted entertainer.

The Actor’s Reflection

In retrospect, Schwarzenegger acknowledges the skepticism that he was confronted with. “Why did they choose to cast me in a comedic show? The entire world thought I was crazy,” he said. “But Ivan Reitman and Danny DeVito believed in the concept, and we trusted each other enough to make it happen.”

In a conversation during his interview with Andy Cohen, Schwarzenegger confirmed the size of the money he earned: “It was more than any film I’ve ever made. It was more than $40 million.”

The candid confession highlights the actor’s acting talents but also his sharp wit as a businessperson.

Hollywood’s Changing Pay Structure

Legacy of Twins isn’t limited to Schwarzenegger’s personal bank account. It was an example of how creative contract negotiations can change the way an industry is run.

Although not all actors could be able to negotiate such an arrangement The results of this experiment pushed more actors to look into similar deals. Later on back-end profit sharing became a more common method for studios to draw the best talent while balancing their budgets upfront.

However, few films could match the huge popularity that was the Twins. Its combination of low production cost, huge box-office returns and a generous profit-sharing arrangement resulted in an ideal storm of profit.

The Legacy of Twins

For those who love it, Twins remains an iconic comedy. For Schwarzenegger this is the best financial decision he has made in his career.

Even after all these years, when the actor reflects on his career that was full of memorable moments The film stands out, not because it was his biggest success, but for the reason that it’s his most significant win.

It proved that often the most unpredictably roles, as well as the most risky ones–will yield the most rewarding reward.

Conclusion

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s admission his revelation that Twins made him the biggest salary gives a fascinating insight into the business side of Hollywood.

While the world remembers him best for his cyborg sassys and the jungle warriors his playful comedy about brotherhood that brought the biggest payday of his career.

In the classic Schwarzenegger manner the story was an adventure and a success–a one as amazing in the same way as his character.