As Far Out magazine reports, action star Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes in 2017 which three action films inspired him the most. He also almost did one of them with Quentin Tarantino.
The 3 best action films according to Arnold Schwarzenegger
For Arnold Schwarzenegger, three films from the more action-oriented genre are particularly important: firstly The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola from 1972. Most people will think of it as a gangster film, but Schwarzenegger praises one very special thing:
(…) the combination of plot and action. (…) really well developed characters and all that. I mean, The Godfather is without a doubt one of the best of its kind.
Secondly, Schwarzenegger calls the sci-fi action Westworld by Michael Crichton from 1973:
It’s not the most well-known film, but it had the biggest influence on me – he made me really interested in the role of the Terminator. Because Yul Brynner plays a machine that doesn’t work, and it’s a very well made film, a very well written film.
And finally Schwarzenegger mentions the one directed by Clint Eastwood Merciless from 1992:
I have [Clint Eastwood] always idolized, even before I came to America. I loved his westerns and followed his career very closely, then I became friends with him and really admired him.
Schwarzenegger has a carefully selected mix of his favorite action films. It’s no surprise that a material even inspired him to make a remake, which unfortunately never came about.
Quentin Tarantino and Arnold Schwarzenegger have considered a Westworld remake
As Far Out goes on to say, Arnold Schwarzenegger actually had the opportunity to Early 2000s to star in a remake of Michael Crichton’s Westworld. In October 2002 he announced his excitement because he was a big fan of the first film.
When it came to directing the film, a few names were mentioned – and one of them was Quentin Tarantino, who would have attempted his first science fiction film with Westworld. But things were to turn out differently.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had to drop out of the project because he served as… 38th Governor of California was active. Tarantino, in turn, decided against Westworld and in favor of projects that he had developed himself from the start.
Ultimately, we won’t know what a Westworld remake would have looked like with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role and Quentin Tarantino as director. Even if the project was never realized and therefore didn’t make it onto the big screen – at least it remains an exciting mental cinema.