Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the highest-grossing movie stars in Hollywood history, but which of his films earned the most money? First gaining attention on the bodybuilding circuit, it didn’t take long for producers to notice that the Austrian strongman had natural charisma. Throughout the 1980s, Schwarzenegger became the leading name in action flicks.
His success continued into the 1990s, and he strung together a list of hits that grossed well over $100 million each. Though Schwarzenegger has never crossed the $1 billion mark, his box office consistency is downright amazing. He left acting behind to serve two terms as California’s governor in the 2000s, but returned to even greater box office heights.
This list of Schwarzenegger’s box office accomplishments will be leaving off any film he didn’t actually star in. For instance, the actor’s likeness was used in Terminator Salvation, but he himself never appeared in the film. That aside, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s box office hits are legion, with his highest-grossing films standing the test of time.
10
Batman & Robin (1997) – $238 Million
If any proof was needed that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a box office juggernaut, his 10th-highest-grossing film still made over $200 million. Batman & Robin is the second Joel Schumacher Batman film, and the goofy romp is generally considered the worst of the Caped Crusader’s filmography. Schwarzenegger stars as Mr. Freeze, a villain with an endless supply of ice puns.
Though Arnie was still popular in the late 1990s, the quality of his films had clearly dipped from their early ’90s high. Batman & Robin is one of the actor’s worst efforts, and nobody looked particularly good. There’s a reason Batman & Robin was the last of the original Batman movie series, and its $238 million box office wasn’t enough.
9
Eraser (1996) – $242 Million
Eraser is one of the most forgotten films in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, and for good reason. He plays a witness protection fixer named John Kruger, who must blast his way through terrorists as he protects a whistle-blower from retaliation. Though it’s hardly a stinker, Eraser has little to set it apart from dozens of other late 1990s action flicks.
The film grossed an impressive $242 million, but with a budget of $100 million, it probably only made a small profit when factoring in other costs. It’s still one of Schwarzenegger’s highest-grossing movies, even if it wasn’t really profitable. That was a trend in the actor’s career right before his “retirement”, with several flicks succumbing to the same issue.
8
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) – $261 Million
The Terminator franchise will always be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s lasting legacy, but 2019’s Dark Fate is an expensive blemish. The sixth Terminator installment trots out all the greatest hits with Linda Hamilton and Schwarzenegger returning as their legendary characters. It’s one of Arnie’s highest-grossing films, but it’s also one of the biggest bombs in history.
Dark Fate raked in about $260 million, but it cost about $200 million to produce. When considering advertising costs and other expenses, the poorly-reviewed sci-fi film lost an eye-watering amount of money. It has put the franchise on ice for now, and the future of The Terminator is truly in jeopardy.
7
Total Recall (1990) – $261 Million
Most films in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s catalog are action extravaganzas with little to say, but Total Recall is a bit different. The Paul Verhoeven sci-fi film features sly humor and commentary about freedom and authoritarianism. It’s one of Schwarzenegger’s best efforts, and it made a tidy little profit despite being so expensive for the time.
Its $260 million came off of an $80 million budget, making money despite tepid reviews. Like a lot of Paul Verhoeven movies (see RoboCop and Starship Troopers), Total Recall is a social commentary parading as a big dumb action flick. While other Schwarzenegger films have aged, Total Recall only gets better with time.
6
The Expendables (2010) – $274 Million
A precursor to the popular “geezer teaser” genre, The Expendables assembled a roster of popular names from action movies past and present into one explosive film. With names like Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham on the poster, the 2010 release was a big hit. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a cameo as Trench Mauser, his first appearance since 2005.
The Expendables grossed nearly $300 million, and that success immediately greenlit a franchise. Though it’s intentionally cliche, the film scores points for its accuracy to ’80s action classics. The use of practical effects also makes The Expendables an anomaly from an era that was overly reliant on CGI.
5
The Expendables 2 (2012) – $315 Million
No longer in office, Schwarzenegger was free to play a much larger role in The Expendables 2 in 2012. The follow-up came only two years after its predecessor, and did the smart thing by upping the ante with more stars and even bigger action sequences. Schwarzenegger’s Trench is a rival to Stallone’s Barney Ross, and he gets more screentime.
A slightly bigger budget yielded a slightly higher box office take, with The Expendables 2 earning $315 million against a $100 million budget. That makes it Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fifth highest-grossing movie, though it’s far from his most profitable. The next two films in the franchise made less, with Expend4bles bombing and likely killing the series.
4
True Lies (1994) – $378 Million
True Lies was arguably the peak of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s box office power, and the standalone action film made a ton despite not being tied to a larger franchise. James Cameron directs and Schwarzenegger stars as a secret spy posing as a boring family man. The film mixes humor and action nicely, with critics and audiences receptive to its charms.
With a production budget over $100 million (the first film to cross that mark), True Lies was a gamble. Thankfully, it made nearly $400 million, and was a box office success instead of merely breaking even. James Cameron had the golden touch at the box office, and several of Schwarzenegger’s biggest films were with the legendary director at the helm.
3
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003) – $433 Million
More than a decade after the second installment, fans were clamoring for more when Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines debuted. In the same year he became California’s governor, Schwarzenegger reprised his role as the title character and battled a new threat from the future. Though it was divisive at the time, the third film has its defenders.
Critics might have been mixed, but the box office numbers don’t lie. Rise of the Machines nearly crossed the half-billion mark, and it’s the third highest-grossing film in the entire Terminator franchise. It was Schwarzenegger’s last big role for years, and he went into his “retirement” on a high note.
2
Terminator Genisys (2015) – $440 Million
Terminator Genisys looked like a recipe for success, but it mostly left viewers scratching their heads. Schwarzenegger rejoined the franchise and Genisys intentionally toyed with the original timeline of the movies by altering the past. It got abysmal reviews, and its box office success wasn’t as grand as it appeared on paper.
The fourth Terminator movie might be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s second highest-grossing film, but it was only a modest financial success. It made $440 million, but it also cost nearly $160 million just to produce. Huge marketing campaigns and other expenses cut into its profitability. Nevertheless, the franchise pressed on with the 2019 film, which was a massive bomb.
1
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – $517 Million
It’s rare that an actor’s best movie is also their highest-grossing, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is also a rare movie star. Terminator 2: Judgment Day brought Arnie back as the title character, but made him the hero. James Cameron’s explosive sequel is a tightly-written action experience with amazing effects and jaw-dropping stunts.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that T2 is a perfect film and perfect sequel. Financially, the sci-fi action gem scooped up over $500 million, and it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s highest-grossing project, whether inflation is considered or not.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, The Numbers
- Birthdate
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July 30, 1947
- Birthplace
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Thal, Styria, Austria
- Height
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6 feet 2 inches
- Professions
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Actor, Bodybuilder, Politician, Businessman, Producer, Director