Schwarzenegger’s Hit Comedy That Made Him Millions Is Coming to Netflix

One of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most unusual hits is about to find a new audience. The 1988 buddy comedy Twins, where Schwarzenegger plays the world’s most polite, genetically perfect man opposite Danny DeVito, will arrive on Netflix next month.

The film gives fans old and new a chance to revisit what has become one of Hollywood’s strangest success stories.

Despite its mixed critical reception, Twins ended up being the most profitable film of Schwarzenegger’s career.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently sits at a 42% approval rating, but that didn’t stop the film from becoming a massive money-maker. During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Schwarzenegger revealed just how lucrative the project was.

“Oh, yeah. Much more,” he said when Cohen asked if he made over $20 million. On the topic of earning over $40 million from the movie, Schwarzenegger confirmed, “It was more than that. It was more than any movie I ever made.”

Directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, Twins tells the story of unlikely fraternal twin brothers separated at birth. Schwarzenegger’s Julius is intelligent but naive, while DeVito’s Vincent is streetwise and rough around the edges. The film was the first time Reitman and Schwarzenegger worked together, and the chemistry between the leads helped make it a box office hit.

The movie earned $216 million worldwide, a huge sum considering the low expectations for a film with such a bizarre premise. Part of its financial success came from an unusual deal: instead of a normal salary, Schwarzenegger, DeVito, and Reitman each took part ownership of the film and received 40% of the backend. That decision gave them the biggest paychecks of their careers.

Critics were divided at the time. Rotten Tomatoes’ consensus reads, “Though it offers a few modest pleasures for undemanding viewers, Twins leans too heavily on the wackiness of its premise to overcome its narrative shortcomings.” Metacritic gives it a score of 53 out of 100, signaling mixed or average reviews. Audiences, however, responded more positively. CinemaScore polls rated it an A− on an A+ to F scale.

Even decades later, Twins remains an unusual but beloved film in Schwarzenegger’s filmography. With its Netflix release, a new generation can experience the oddball comedy that not only delivered laughs but also delivered one of the smartest deals in Hollywood history.

What do you think about Twins becoming available for streaming? Are you excited to see Schwarzenegger and DeVito’s unlikely brother duo? Share your thoughts in the comments.