Rumors of Avatar movies, it's also clear that he'll only do so if an opportunity organically presents itself.

Some of Schwarzenegger's best performances have come under Cameron's stewardship, so a reunion between the two men would certainly be a brilliant experience. They've maintained a friendship since Cameron's third movie as a director - 1984's The Terminator. Although the Terminator franchise is very different from that of the Avatar universe, Schwarzenegger's acting talents would still be a welcome addition to the record-breaking film series. If and when he makes his Avatar debut, there's one role that would be better than the alternatives.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Should Play A Na’vi In Cameron’s Avatar Sequels

The Terminator star would make a great addition to the Pandoran natives

Avatar characters generally come in one of two varieties: human or Na'vi. So, while it may seem obvious to say that Schwarzenegger should embody one of Pandora's native inhabitants, the suggestion at least rules out the actor playing one of the franchise's human characters. If Arnie were to play someone who originated on Earth, it would likely result in him playing a member of the invading military forces that are stripping Pandora of its natural resources. Schwarzenegger has played militaristic roles countless times, so doing so again in Avatar wouldn't be offering anything new.

Playing a Na'vi wouldn't necessarily limit Schwarzenegger to a hero role. Although to this point the alien race has largely been portrayed as the franchise's protagonists, certain information about the coming sequels has teased the emergence of villainous tribes too. So, Arnie's franchise debut could easily have him playing a new variant of Na'vi from one of the many other factions on the surface of the moon. All these possibilities the fact that playing a Na'vi is the best option for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

James Cameron Has Already Cast Long-Time Collaborators As Na’vi In Avatar

Bringing back Schwarzenegger would continue a fun trend for the Avatar director

Schwarzenegger's potential appearance in the Avatar saga may seem a little out-of-nowhere to some, but his shared history with Cameron in various projects actually makes the occurrence more likely. Director James Cameron has a history of bringing back past collaborators to appear in his cinematic space opera. For instance, despite the death of Sigourney Weaver's character in the franchise's first installment in 2009, she returned to play a different character in the 2022 sequel - Avatar: The Way of Water.

Director/actor reunions are very common in Hollywood, and this stands the chance of being one of the best.

Previously, Weaver had appeared in 1986's Aliens - which was also directed by Cameron. Similarly, the writer/director also recruited Kate Winslet for the second Avatar movie, which marked the first time the actor/director combo had reunited since 1997's Titanic​​​​​. As Cameron arguably made a name for himself by directing Schwarzenegger in the first two Terminator movies, the actor's return to team up with Cameron again for the first time since 1994's True Lies doesn't seem so out of place. Director/actor reunions are very common in Hollywood, and this stands the chance of being one of the best.

The Avatar Movies Are So Big, Schwarzenegger Would’ve Even Be A Stunt Casting

Schwarzenegger's fame would largely be swallowed up by the size of the Avatar franchise

It's not uncommon for a movie or a franchise to cast a big name to help publicize it. However, Avatar has been so big since day one that it has always overshadowed any individual actor who starred in the series. It doesn't hurt that many of the stars appear as CGI-enhanced, lanky, blue aliens - but that's almost beside the point. While Schwarzenegger is quite often one of the biggest appeals of any project he's in, it's difficult to see that being the case if he showed up in an Avatar sequel.

The scale of the Avatar universe and the level of its success tends to dwarf its stars' presence, so the same would likely be true if the legendary Terminator actor were to be cast. Furthermore, his casting would essentially confirm that he was there on merit alone, and not as part of a marketing campaign. Paired with this phenomenon, Arnold Schwarzenegger's statement of waiting for the right role before making his Avatar debut - if it ever even happens - means any appearance he makes will be well-thought-out and effective.