3. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on for a Planet of the Apes movie in the 90s
Ever since the mid-80s, there were plans to re-launch the Planet of the Apes franchise. And while none of these plans ever came through until Tim Burton’s awful 2001 remake, there was a period in the 90s where it looked like it was going to happen – with Arnold Schwarzenegger!
Titled Return of the Apes, the movie was set in the near future and saw Dr Will Robinson travel back in time to the start of the ape/human war to discover a cure for a disease that is wiping out humanity.
At the time, Fox president Peter Chernin said that it was “the best script I have ever read” and the movie was put into production with a list of directors including Oliver Stone, Chuck Russell, James Cameron and Chris Columbus looking to helm the project. Schwarzenegger signed on to play Robinson in 1994.
Sadly, the movie feel into production woes, mainly over the tone of the film. Some wanted Return of the Apes to be like The Terminator while others wanted it to be like The Flintstones so they could make toys. As it stands, we will never see Arnie in an Apes movie.
Can you imagine if they had him do the infamous Charlton Heston line?
Originally published July 17, 2014. Updated April 15, 2018.
