I told you I'd be back: Arnie set for another career revival

Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to return to the big screen after confirming filming will start on Terminator 5 early next year.

Speaking to a fansite called The Arnold Fans, the Governator said: "I'm very happy that the studios want me to be in Terminator 5 and to star AS the Terminator, which we start shooting in January and I'm also going to do [Conan the Barbarian sequel] King Conan - to play [the titular] role and also to do another Twins movie. So I feel very proud of that. I feel very happy and I'm looking forward to doing those films."

The site, which describes Arnold as the world's, er, "ballsiest role model", sent reporters to Australia on a mission to quiz Arnie while he opened a new mural at the 21st Century Financial Education Summit.

The former California governor appears to like handing out exclusives to his fans, because the website also carried news that the Austrian beefcake will star in the third instalment of geriatric action series The Expendables along with a host of other tough guy actors including Sly Stallone.

Rumours are swirling about what will happen in the film and whether Arnie will play a human or the usual murderous machine we all know and love. One thing's for sure: this is Arnie going back to what he does best.

The role of a near-mute, pumped-up killing machine from the future launched Arnie's film career, simultaneously granting him the sort of public image that obviously appealed to Californian voters.

The muscle-bound stud muffin, most recently famed for knocking up a household employee, was also asked what his favourite role was.

Neglecting to mention the two terms he spent in the role of politician, he said: "Well, I don't think there is one character (I can chose from), even with all my other movies. For instance, I'm getting the script in two weeks from now about the sequel to Twins, which will be called Triplets.

"So for me, that character was a fantastic character. So I can't say the Terminator character is more than this character or that I like the Conan character less than the Terminator character. They are all great. Like I said, I was very fortunate to be able to play those kinds of characters who have an international appeal. To me, that's the most important thing."

The film's thespian credentials have been boosted by news that producers could be preparing a big role for The Rock, a wrestler who's starred in such cinematic pinnacles as The Mummy Returns.

®