"Now I know why you cry," says the T800 at the end of Terminator 2. It's an Oscar-worthy piece of emotional drama that Arnold Schwarzenegger seems keen to repeat, with **Cry Macho now apparently the lead contender to return him to the big screen.
Despite recent reports that Arnold's big comeback may be Terminator 5, With Wings As Eagles, The Last Stand or The Tomb, given the figures already involved ($10m for Arnold plus a share of the gross) it seems that Cry Macho is already an immediately going concern.
Like Wings, it's a screenplay that's been floating around for a number of years, and involves a kidnap attempt on an 11-year-old boy that goes awry. Arnold's role is the kidnapper, a grizzled, alcoholic, former Kentucky Derby-winning but now down-on-his-luck horse breeder* with a dead wife and child, who takes the job against his better judgement. Cue an Arnold-and-boy road trip, with, no doubt, many an adventure along the way.
It's based on a long out-of-print 1975 novel by N Richard Nash, who adapted it into a screenplay himself back in 2000. Producer Al Ruddy (The Godfather) has been been sitting on it ever since. It was offered to Arnold right at the beginning, and almost drew Clint Eastwood at one point during Arnold's Governator years. But we're now full circle, with The Lincoln Lawyer's Brad Furman attached to direct.
The fact that this once attracted Eastwood might give us some hint at Arnold's intended new career progression, keeping a canny eye out for roles suited to his age, without quite leaving behind the persona of yore. Deadline's sources are describing the film as "The Ransom of Red Chief meets Ruthless People with the heartbreak of Paper Moon", so if nothing else, it should provide Arnold with the chance to stretch his acting muscles.
The deals should be finalised at Cannes if all goes to plan, with shooting possibly starting as early as this summer. Is this the right vehicle for Arnie, or are you clamouring for T5? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.
"I look like a horse trying to smile," says Arnold at one point on the T2 commentary. So he has previous form here. Sort of.