Arnold Schwarzenegger is addicted to the Terminator franchise

19 July 2019

Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to return to the 'Terminator' franchise for a fifth time because he is "addicted" to playing his cyborg character.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The now 71-year-old actor first appeared as the killer T-800 assassin - a cybernetic organism sent back in time from a future Earth ruled by machines - in James Cameron's 1984 sci-fi classic 'The Terminator' and is coming back to the franchise for a fifth outing in Tim Miller's upcoming sixth movie 'Terminator: Dark Fate'.

Schwarzenegger has starred in every movie in the franchise other than 2009's 'Terminator Salvation' as he couldn't take part as he was in public office serving as the Governor of California at the time and he admits he just can't stay away from the franchise that helped make him famous and change his life.

Speaking during a panel at San Diego Comic Con, he said: "I need to come back. I'm addicted to 'Terminator'. 'Terminator' was the movie that really launched my action movie career.

"James Cameron came to me and says, 'I want you to be in 'Terminator' and I want you to play the Terminator. From that moment on everything has changed my life ... He really created the 80s and the 90s action genre."

Schwarzenegger thinks the iconic T-800 character is "unique" in science-fiction and, despite his incredible four-decade spanning career, he will always feel "indebted" to Cameron, the creator of the money-spinning franchise who helmed the first film and the acclaimed sequel 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' which came out in 1991.

The action legend added: "It was one of those unique characters, amongst the top ten villains and scariest characters, but at the same time amongst the top ten heroic characters. That's unheard of and only someone like Jim Cameron can create something like that."

In 'Terminator: Dark Fate', Schwarzenegger will be reunited with Linda Hamilton - who plays Sarah Connor, the mother of humanity's saviour John Connor - for the first time on screen since 'Terminator 2'.

The movie is scheduled for release on November 1.