01 April,2011 01:22 PM IST | | Agencies
The action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger, who took seven years off to serve as Governor of California, has announced he will return to show business as a comic book superhero in a new animated television series called The Governator, according to Entertainment Weekly.
With the caption "He's Back!" taken from his famous line in The Terminator -- "I'll be back" -- the cover story of the magazine reveals plans for a semi-fictional character who fights crime and natural disasters and is based on Schwarzenegger's life.
"The idea of doing a cartoon character, 'The Governator,' takes my entire career really -- if it is body building, action movies, or if it is the governorship...and combines it into one,'' he told EW about his latest role, which will feature his voice.
Schwarzenegger's nickname, The Governator, coined by the press after he took office, is a reference to his previous role as The Terminator. "This guy will be jumping into action," said Schwarzenegger, "and he will eliminate the problems."
The animated children's television show and comic book is being developed by Stan Lee, founder of Marvel Comics, and will license toys and merchandise. "We're using all the personal elements of Arnold's life," Lee is quoted in EW, describing the secret high-tech crime-fighting center under The Governator's house.
The cartoon will feature a fleet of super vehicles, a closet of Super Suits equipped with powers that allow flying and stunts. There will be sidekicks, such as Zeke Muckerberg, the 13-year-old cybersecurity expert.
The Governator's super-villains will include Gangsters Imposters Racketeers Liars & Irredeemable Ex-cons -- or "G.I.R.L.I.E. Men," a term Schwarzenegger used for George Bush's opponents and a reference to a comedy sketch about him.
Schwarzenegger's popular films of the 1980s and '90s include Total Recall, Commando, Predator and True Lies, and he recently appeared in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables. He is expected to announce upcoming movie roles soon.
