Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals what ICONIC movie quote nearly didn’t exist 

Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed the iconic movie line nearly didn’t exist due to an on-set clash.

In 1984’s The Terminator, the Austrian actor’s character T-800 is seen to say: ‘I’ll be back’ – a line that is still quoted to this day – however he revealed he fought against saying the quote with director James Cameron.

Speaking in a newly-released Netflix documentary about Arnold’s life and career, Titanic director James, who co-wrote The Terminator with Gale Anne Hurd, said: ‘Sometime in the middle of the shoot, we’re doing this police station scene…

‘The line is, ‘I’ll come back.’ It wasn’t meant to be like a big moment at all. It was literally meant to be, on its face, ‘No problem, I’ll come back.’ For some reason, Arnold didn’t say, ‘I’ll come back.’ I said, ‘Well, just say “I’ll be back.” Keep it simple.’”

Arnold revealed he wanted to change the line to “I will be back” to sound more “machine-like” but James fought back: He says, ‘Are you the writer?’” And I said, ‘No,’ and he said, ‘Well, don’t tell me how to f***ing write.’” 

Arnold went on: ‘It became the most quoted movie line, I think, in the history of motion pictures. So this just shows to you who was right and who was wrong’.

Elsewhere in the documentary, Arnold expressed regret over a ‘stupid’ comment he made to Eunice Kennedy Shriver when he first met her daughter Maria Shriver.

The 75-year-old actor in his three-part docuseries Arnold opened up about the first time meeting Maria, 67, in 1977, according to an article by People.

Arnold after being asked to appear at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Tennis Tournament was introduced at a party to Maria by her late mother Eunice.

‘[Eunice] came up to me and said, ‘It’s so good to have you here. By the way, this is my daughter Maria Shriver,’ Arnold recalled.

Ha! In 1984’s The Terminator, the Austrian actor’s character T-800 is seen to say: ‘I’ll be back’ – a line that is still quoted to this day – however he revealed he fought against saying the quote with director James Cameron

‘Then, later on she said, ”My daughter is really fond of you,” and I said, ”Well, your daughter has a really nice ass. I have to tell you that”,’ Arnold said.

Arnold in the Netflix documentary admitted to his faux pas. ‘What a stupid thing to say. I don’t even know why I said it,’ Arnold said.

The Terminator star added: ‘I really fell in love with Maria, not because she was a Kennedy but because she had an extraordinary personality. I could see that little rebel in her. I wanted to escape from Austria, she also wanted to escape. That was the beginning of Maria and I.’

Coming soon: Arnold will premiere on Wednesday on Netflix

Arnold and Maria later married in 1986 and have children Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.

The former Governor of California also has son Joseph Baena, 25, from his affair with former household staffer Mildred Baena.

Maria filed for divorce in July 2011 citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ after learning of the affair. Arnold in the documentary recalled the moment he told Maria of his infidelity and fathering a love child.

Maria was not interviewed in the documentary that premiered on Wednesday.

Tournament party:  Elsewhere in the documentary, Arnold expressed regret over a ‘stupid’ comment he made to Eunice Kennedy Shriver (pictured) when he first met her daughter Maria Shriver

Former couple: Maria and Arnold are shown in June 2003 in the Westwood area of Los Angeles at the premiere of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines