Rumors ofArnold Schwarzeneggerstepping into theAvatarfranchise have been making the rounds for a while now, and if he ever does appear in James Cameron’s sci-fi saga, there’s already a perfect character category waiting for him.Schwarzenegger has already said that he would appear in one of the coming sequels, “If a role made sense.” So, while the actor seems willing to star in one of theupcomingAvatarmovies, it’s also clear that he’ll only do so if an opportunity organically presents itself.
Some ofSchwarzenegger’s best performanceshave come under Cameron’s stewardship, so a reunion between the two men would certainly be a brilliant experience. They’ve maintained a friendship since Cameron’s third movie as a director - 1984’sThe Terminator. Although theTerminatorfranchise is very different from that of theAvataruniverse,Schwarzenegger’s acting talents would still be a welcome additionto the record-breaking film series. If and when he makes hisAvatardebut, there’s one role that would be better than the alternatives.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Should Play A Na’vi In Cameron’s Avatar Sequels
The Terminator star would make a great addition to the Pandoran natives
Avatarcharacters generally come in one of two varieties: human or Na’vi. So, while it may seem obvious to say that Schwarzenegger should embody one of Pandora’s native inhabitants, the suggestion at least rules out the actor playing one of the franchise’s human characters. If Arnie were to play someone who originated on Earth, it would likely result in him playing a member of the invading military forces that are stripping Pandora of its natural resources.Schwarzenegger has played militaristic roles countless times, so doing so again inAvatarwouldn’t be offering anything new.
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Playing a Na’vi wouldn’t necessarily limit Schwarzenegger to a hero role. Although to this point the alien race has largely been portrayed as the franchise’s protagonists, certain information about the coming sequels has teased the emergence of villainous tribes too. So, Arnie’s franchise debut could easily have him playing a new variant of Na’vi from one of the many other factions on the surface of the moon. All these possibilities support the fact thatplaying a Na’vi is the best option for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
James Cameron Has Already Cast Long-Time Collaborators As Na’vi In Avatar
Bringing back Schwarzenegger would continue a fun trend for the Avatar director
Schwarzenegger’s potential appearance in theAvatarsaga may seem a little out-of-nowhereto some, but his shared history with Cameron in various projects actually makes the occurrence more likely. Director James Cameron has a history of bringing back past collaborators to appear in his cinematic space opera. For instance, despite the death of Sigourney Weaver’s character in the franchise’s first installment in 2009, she returned to play a different character in the 2022 sequel -Avatar: The Way of Water.
Director/actor reunions are very common in Hollywood, and this stands the chance of being one of the best.
Previously, Weaver had appeared in 1986’sAliens- which was also directed by Cameron. Similarly, the writer/director alsorecruited Kate Winslet for the secondAvatarmovie, which marked the first time the actor/director combo had reunited since 1997’sTitanic. AsCameron arguably made a name for himself by directing Schwarzeneggerin the first twoTerminatormovies, the actor’s return to team up with Cameron again for the first time since 1994’sTrue Liesdoesn’t seem so out of place. Director/actor reunions are very common in Hollywood, and this stands the chance of being one of the best.
The Avatar Movies Are So Big, Schwarzenegger Would’ve Even Be A Stunt Casting
Schwarzenegger’s fame would largely be swallowed up by the size of the Avatar franchise
It’s not uncommon for a movie or a franchise to cast a big name to help publicize it. However,Avatarhas been so big since day one that it has always overshadowed any individual actor who starred in the series. It doesn’t hurt that many of the stars appear as CGI-enhanced, lanky, blue aliens - but that’s almost beside the point. WhileSchwarzenegger is quite often one of the biggest appeals of any project he’s in, it’s difficult to see that being the case if he showed up in anAvatarsequel.
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The scale of theAvataruniverse and the level of its success tends to dwarf its stars' presence, so the same would likely be true if the legendaryTerminatoractor were to be cast. Furthermore, his casting would essentially confirm that he was there on merit alone, and not as part of a marketing campaign. Paired with this phenomenon,Arnold Schwarzenegger’s statement of waiting for the right role before making hisAvatardebut - if it ever even happens - means any appearance he makes will be well-thought-out and effective.
