An Arnold Schwarzenegger Reboot Is #1 On Streaming
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in Eraser, which has been rebooted into Eraser: Reborn and is #1 on HBO Max.
Ever since his time starring in The Terminator and frequently collaborating with director James Cameron, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been known for his comedic timing, and action-adventure spirit in films like Predator and True Lies, as well as his rugged mass appeal. Recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger had a project of his from the 1990s, Eraser, get rebooted and retooled for a new generation. Eraser: Reborn has made its way onto streaming platforms and is currently trending in the number one spot on HBO Max.
According to FlixPatrol, a website dedicated to tracking content on subscription streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, the Arnold Schwarzenegger reboot Eraser: Reborn is number one on HBO Max over all other films since its debut on the platform on October 8. Currently, still in the same position days later, the movie stars British actor Dominic Sherwood as U.S. Marshal Mason Pollard, a take on Schwarzenegger’s role of U.S. Marshal John “Eraser” Kruger in the original 1996 film. Eraser: Reborn is seen as a reboot of Eraser with the plot involving a secret agency that facilitates fake deaths of those who have witnessed heinous crimes, as they want to disappear entirely.
A choice by distributor Warner Bros. Discovery to release Eraser: Reborn directly to video streaming rather than in theaters, the reboot of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Eraser has been met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. IMDB currently ranks the film with a 4.5/10 overall, while Rotten Tomatoes has an Audience Score of 17% based on fewer than 50 ratings from verified users to the site. In comparison, 1996’s Eraser earned a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 53 critics’ reviews and an Audience Score of 39% based on over 100,000 ratings from verified users.
While not a critical darling when it was released in theaters on June 21, 1996, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Eraser was a financial success for its main bodybuilding star and newly minted costar Vanessa Williams. The movie went on to gross over $242 million at the box office against a budget of $100 million, calling attention to the film’s visual effects and performances of its lead performers. Eraser dealt primarily with Kruger’s role in protecting a senior operative (Williams) as she will testify as a witness to an illegal arms deal, while Kruger must confront a possible mole within his own agency.
By the time Arnold Schwarzenegger was tapped to play U.S. Marshal John “Eraser” Kruger in Eraser, the Austrian actor had come off a successful string of comedy films like Twins, Kindergarten Cop, and Junior, sparking interest in Schwarzenegger to return to more action thrillers that originally made him a household name. Starring alongside Schwarzenegger and Williams was an all-star cast in Eraser that included The Godfather actor James Caan, James Coburn, and the late Robert Pastorelli in supporting roles. Williams in particular went on to a successful career on television after wrapping on Eraser, including costarring in the acclaimed ABC series Ugly Betty which saw the actor nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
A reboot of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s part in Eraser was a tall order, as evidenced by Eraser: Reborn’s eventual trajectory. Initially conceived as a sequel to the 1996 original, the plot of the movie was retooled in order to fit a brand of reboot rather than a continuation of Eraser’s storylines and characters. Costarring in Eraser: Reborn are actors Jacky Lai, Ozark alum McKinley Belcher III, and Eddie Ramos as the movie went from opening on home media back in June of this year to debuting on HBO Max last week.
Even though Eraser: Reborn did not get a theatrical release this year, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Eraser helped to solidify the actor’s place as a box office champ. His more recent entries into The Expendables series of films, as well as his time as Governor of California, have made Schwarzenegger a household name for several generations of moviegoers. The action star recently returned to form in one of his original franchises and collaborations with James Cameron, playing the T-800 alongside franchise star Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate, which grossed over $260 million at the box office.
