Schwarzenegger Open To Playing Batman Villain (Again)

Arnold Schwarzenegger recently expressed interest in playing a supervillain in the DC Extended Universe. This won’t be the first time our resident Terminator tried out some different boots. For those who don’t know (or who managed to block the memory), Schwarzenegger once played Mr. Freeze, the tragic, sub-zero adversary of the “Justice League’s” Dark Knight, in the equally tragic, universally panned film “Batman & Robin.”

While the film scarred fans, critics, and even “Batman” (George Clooney) himself, Schwarzenegger seems to be made of hardier stuff. As long as the movie itself is written well, he said he would love for another shot at a “Batman” villain. This could mean a second chance as “Mr. Freeze,” redeeming his previous performance. Or it can mean the “Terminator” trying his hand on one of the uncasted villains in the DCEU waiting to be brought back to the big screen.

A Lukewarm Performance: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze

Schwarzenegger is famous for his tough-guy roles but his stint as “Mr. Freeze” in “Batman & Robin” was a deep dive into new territory. The supervillains characteristic of the 90s-era “Batman” films were corny, cheesy, over-the-top baddies. Schwarzenegger’s “Mr. Freeze” was no exception. He had a freeze ray blaster that literally froze people in their tracks, but the true ace in his sub-zero arsenal were his puns. So many puns. There was no end to the ice-related puns Mr. Freeze had up his sleeve. They were pretty much the only redeeming quality of an otherwise lukewarm performance from an actor of Schwarzenegger’s caliber.

But this isn’t to say that his performance was to blame for “Batman & Robin’s” poor reception. It was a factor, but so did bad writing, shallow characters, corny dialogue, confusing action sequences, and a host of other problems. The entire movie was a disaster from start to finish. It would have crashed with or without Schwarzenegger as “Mr. Freeze.” In fact, “Batman & Robin” was so traumatizing and embarrassing to the “Batman” fandom that George Clooney has apologized multiple times over the year for the movie. If nothing else, you’ve got to give Schwarzenegger props for wanting a second chance at the DC universe.

Does the DC Extended Universe have room for the Terminator?

Currently, there’s been no word yet from DC on Schwarzenegger’s chances. But that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating on social media. In fact, this isn’t even the first time Schwarzenegger has made waves in the DC fandom.

Fans went into a frenzy in February when it was discovered that “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins and DC Entertainment President Geoff Johns had started following Schwarzenegger on Twitter. Soon rumors spread that Schwarzenegger had a role in “Wonder Woman.” The rumors were never confirmed, however, and the frenzy died down. But with Schwarzenegger’s interest now public, fans are once again asking: Does the DCEU have room for Schwarzenegger?