Arnold Schwarzenegger Accepted Mr. Freeze Role to Outearn Sylvester Stallone

In the 1997 film *Batman & Robin*, Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed the villain Mr. Freeze. He later explained that his decision was driven by a long‑standing salary rivalry with fellow action star Sylvester Stallone. Warner Bros. offered Schwarzenegger a contract worth about $25‑30 million—higher than any deal Stallone had secured at the time—prompting him to take the part despite initially not wanting to play a villain.

Schwarzenegger recounted the story on the *2 Bears, 1 Cave* podcast, noting that the lucrative offer was a way to financially surpass his competitor and settle the feud that had spanned years of box‑office and contract negotiations.