After a hiatus from acting since 2019, the world’s wealthiest actor is anticipated to make his return to cinema soon.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, boasting a net worth surpassing that of fellow actors Tom Cruise and Dwayne Johnson, first rose to fame as a champion bodybuilder before transitioning into a successful acting career in the 1970s.

At 78, the former California governor has headlined numerous box office hits over his illustrious career, starring in iconic films such as Terminator, Predator, Total Recall, Kindergarten Cop, and Jingle All the Way.

These legendary films have collectively grossed over $5.2 billion (approximately £3.8bn) worldwide, contributing to Schwarzenegger’s impressive estimated net worth of around $1.2 billion (roughly £800m), as reported by Forbes.

Since his last major appearance in Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019, fans have eagerly awaited his next role. According to IMDB, his return to the screen is on the horizon… or is it?

The film in question, called The Man with the Bag, sees Schwarzenegger play Santa Claus, and he has to enlist the help of a former thief, played by Alan Ritchson, when his magical bag is stolen.

It was set to be streamed on Prime Video but the movie, written by Allan Rice and directed by Adam Shankman, does not yet have an exact release date.

And fans have expressed confusion about when the film will actually be released. In December 2024, Schwarzenegger teased the production to his 26.5 million followers.

He wrote: “Santa Claus is coming to town! It is fantastic to be shooting The Man with the Bag with @alanritchson. Our director @adamshankman is one of the funniest directors I’ve worked with, New York City is an amazing host, working with @amazonmgmstudios is a joy, and I can’t wait to share all of this Christmas cheer with each and every one of you.”

However, in recent days, fans have circled back to the post, with one asking: “Where is this movie???”

Another said: “I’ve been looking forward to this film all year, just googled it as I’ve not seen it advertised anywhere to realise I’ve got another year to wait! I’m gutted.”

Regardless of when it is finally released, it will mark Schwarzenegger’s first festive film since 1996, when he played a father searching for the perfect gift for his son in Jingle All the Way.

Earlier this year meanwhile, Forbes revealed a list of America’s most affluent immigrants. Predictably, Elon Musk, who hailed from South Africa before moving to Canada, topped the chart.

However, further along the list, at number 119, was Schwarzenegger, who was born in Thal, Styria, Austria, in 1947.

The Terminator star grew up with a father who was a Nazi officer and military policeman during World War II. He previously opened up about living in a “very different world” as a child and said his mum Aurelia and dad Gustav were “very strict”.

Speaking to Schwarzenegger.com in 2010, he said: “It’s true my parents were very strict and I think many times I’m very strict with my own children but not like it was when I grew up. Back then in Austria it was a very different world – if we did something bad or we disobeyed our parents, the rod was not spared.

“It was still the yardstick at school. You put your hands out there on the table and BANG!”

After flexing his muscles in weightlifting and powerlifting contests during his youth, a career that saw him being crowned Mr Universe and Mr Olympia, he later landed his first film role in Hercules in New York in 1970 when he played Arnold Strong.

But it was 19 years later, in 1989, when he landed his most famous role, where he played the lead in James Cameron’s The Terminator.

And if his Christmas film does end up getting released soon, he really will be back.