Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms Plans for Predator, King Conan and Commando Returns
Arnold Schwarzenegger is preparing to revisit three of the films that helped establish him as one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, with the actor confirming that new Predator, Conan and Commando projects are being developed with his involvement. At 79, Schwarzenegger clearly has no intention of leaving his most famous characters entirely in the past, although he is waiting for the screenplays to be completed before cameras can start rolling.
Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actor discussed his anticipated return to the three franchises, offering an encouraging update for fans who have spent years hoping to see him revisit some of his defining roles. While his comments suggest that all three projects remain in development, they do not establish filming dates, release plans or the extent of his appearances.
For horror fans, the biggest news concerns Predator, particularly following the franchise’s recent resurgence under filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg. Nearly forty years after Schwarzenegger first encountered the alien hunter in the Central American jungle, the prospect of Dutch Schaefer returning to face the Yautja is looking increasingly possible.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predator Return Moves Closer
Schwarzenegger originated the role of Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer in John McTiernan’s Predator (1987), leading an elite military rescue team into the jungle on what initially appears to be a conventional mission. Their assignment soon becomes a fight for survival when an extraterrestrial hunter begins stalking and killing the soldiers, collecting trophies from its victims.
The film brilliantly combines muscular 1980s action with science-fiction horror, gradually transforming a military adventure into something resembling a slasher film. The soldiers possess enough firepower to level a small village, yet their weapons prove largely ineffective against a creature capable of remaining almost invisible and attacking from the surrounding jungle.
Schwarzenegger’s Dutch ultimately becomes the last surviving member of the team, defeating the Predator through improvisation, traps and a rather unpleasant covering of mud. His performance helped make the film a genre classic, but despite the franchise producing numerous sequels and spin-offs, Schwarzenegger never returned for another live-action instalment.
That absence has become particularly noticeable following Trachtenberg’s successful reinvention of the series. His 2022 film Prey took the action back to 1719, following Naru, a young Comanche woman played by Amber Midthunder, as she confronted a Predator hunting across the Great Plains.
Rather than relying on familiar characters, Prey demonstrated how effectively the franchise could work when its central concept was placed in a different historical setting. Trachtenberg subsequently expanded the mythology with the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers and the theatrical feature Predator: Badlands, which approached the series from the unusual perspective of a young Yautja protagonist.
Perhaps most significantly, Predator: Killer of Killers provided an unexpected connection to the original films. An additional epilogue introduced Dutch Schaefer and Mike Harrigan, the Los Angeles police detective played by Danny Glover in Predator 2 (1990), as captives preserved by the Predators.
Their appearance opened the door to further stories involving surviving characters from earlier instalments. However, Schwarzenegger’s latest comments do not establish whether his proposed live-action return will follow that storyline, involve Trachtenberg or take an entirely different direction.
The actor previously revealed that discussions about returning to Predator were underway, and his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! suggests those conversations have progressed sufficiently for him to discuss the project alongside his other planned sequels.
For now, the screenplay remains the deciding factor. Schwarzenegger explained that he wants the material to be ready before committing to production, stating:
“I’m looking forward to seeing the scripts because that’s where the action is. What’s not on the page is not on the stage, so I’m just waiting for the scripts to get perfected and then we go and start shooting those things.”
The statement is encouraging, but it should not be mistaken for confirmation that a new Predator film has entered production. No title, director, filming schedule or release date has been formally announced for a live-action project featuring Dutch.
King Conan Could Finally Bring Schwarzenegger Back to Cimmeria
Alongside his Predator plans, Schwarzenegger also discussed the long-awaited return of Conan, the sword-wielding warrior he first portrayed in John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian (1982). The fantasy adventure became one of the defining films of his early career, helping establish his screen persona before The Terminator transformed him into an international superstar.
Schwarzenegger reprised the character in Conan the Destroyer (1984), but plans for a further continuation failed to materialise. The property was subsequently revisited in the 2011 reboot starring Jason Momoa, although that production was separate from the original Schwarzenegger films.
The proposed new film, King Conan, has been discussed for many years and would revisit the character much later in his life. Christopher McQuarrie, whose credits include The Usual Suspects and several Mission: Impossible films, has been linked to developing the project.
The prospect of an older Conan offers an interesting alternative to simply recreating the sword-and-sorcery adventures of the 1980s. Rather than presenting the character as an unstoppable young warrior, a continuation could explore what happens after decades of conquest and kingship, although the precise story remains unconfirmed.
Schwarzenegger’s latest comments indicate that he remains interested in returning to the role, but the project is still dependent on a completed screenplay. No production start date or release window has been officially established.
Commando Sequel Would Bring Back John Matrix
The third project discussed by Schwarzenegger is a sequel to Commando (1985), the hugely entertaining action film directed by Mark L. Lester. Schwarzenegger starred as retired special forces colonel John Matrix, whose peaceful life with his daughter Jenny, played by Alyssa Milano, is shattered when she is kidnapped by mercenaries.
What follows is an increasingly outrageous rescue mission involving an extraordinary amount of ammunition, an impressive collection of one-liners and a villain who makes the unfortunate mistake of underestimating Matrix. The film became a favourite among 1980s action enthusiasts, although it never received a direct theatrical sequel.
A new Commando would therefore represent the character’s first return in more than four decades. Unlike Predator and Conan, which have continued through subsequent films and reinterpretations, the original Commando has remained a standalone Schwarzenegger vehicle.
Whether the sequel would follow an older Matrix, introduce a younger generation of characters or combine both approaches has not been revealed. Schwarzenegger has not confirmed a director, supporting cast or production timetable, leaving the film at an early stage of development.
For fans of his action career, however, the possibility of revisiting all three franchises is an intriguing prospect. Each represents a different period of Schwarzenegger’s rise to stardom, from the fantasy spectacle of Conan to the relentless action of Commando and the science-fiction horror of Predator.
Of the three, Predator arguably has the clearest opportunity to connect with an established modern franchise, particularly after the recent films expanded its mythology and brought Dutch back into the picture through animation. Whether Schwarzenegger ultimately returns to the jungle, confronts the Yautja somewhere entirely new or makes a smaller appearance remains to be seen.
For now, the scripts are being developed and Schwarzenegger is waiting to see what the filmmakers have prepared. Freddy Krueger might haunt your dreams, but the prospect of Dutch Schaefer returning to hunt Predators is something horror fans have been dreaming about for nearly forty years.
