Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t require additional film credits to establish himself as a cinematic legend in the action genre. By the mid-1990s, films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator, Commando, and True Lies had already solidified his status as an action genre icon. However, there were other action movies that almost made his filmography even more legendary.
Reflecting on it now, it’s tough to conceive any other pair than Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery as the stars of Michael Bay’s 1996 film “The Rock”, but surprisingly, there was an alternate version of this movie that would have featured Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of the main roles.
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As mentioned by Schwarzenegger in a conversation with Empire magazine in 2012, his introduction to “The Rock” came when producer Don Simpson presented him with a script that was more of a rough draft. According to Schwarzenegger, the script was in an unfinished state and was marked up with notes from Jerry Bruckheimer, another producer. The incomplete nature of the concept, along with his busy schedule, caused the action star to step back from this project.
Arnold Schwarzenegger remembered that Jerry Bruckheimer had a script with 85 pages, covered in handwritten notes. Bruckheimer said, “Take a look at this script, but don’t read it yet. This is the basic idea…” Bruckheimer was quite animated. Schwarzenegger replied, “Look, Don. I can’t make a decision based on what you’re showing me now. You won’t even let me read the full script! Why not work on it some more, refine it some more, and then we can discuss it again?” Bruckheimer was visibly upset by this response.
Last year, in an episode of Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast “New Heights”, Arnold Schwarzenegger provided additional details about what transpired subsequently. When he was no longer involved, the role in “The Rock” of Dr. Stanley Goodspeed was given to Nicolas Cage, who had recently won an Oscar for his performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” and was ready for a series of blockbuster films. With Cage on board, the script was revised and adapted to suit his acting style, and according to Schwarzenegger, the outcome was difficult to dispute.
Arnold Schwarzenegger stated, “Though I didn’t participate in it, Nicolas Cage delivered an outstanding performance. Sean Connery was excellent too. The direction, the script, everything was flawless – a perfect 10. I truly enjoyed the movie, and I couldn’t help but wish I had been part of it.
Absolutely, after Schwarzenegger starred in numerous films, it’s challenging to picture “The Rock” without Nicolas Cage as the anxious, overpowered Goodspeed, a scientist navigating through a world of soldiers and criminal masterminds. If Schwarzenegger had played the role instead, the movie would have been significantly different. However, as he acknowledged himself, what we ended up with turned out to be quite fantastic.
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2025-07-21 17:46