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via Getty

via Getty

Arnold Schwarzenegger is still setting records, although he is 76 years old. The bodybuilding legend got his name entered into the Guinness World Records once again after Netflix constructed the biggest action figure in existence. Netflix created the action figure to promote Arnie’s show FUBAR, which is returning for a second season.

The record-breaking action figure portrays Arnold Schwarzenegger in the avatar of FUBAR’s lead character, Luke Brunner. “Get to the Choppa! FUBAR S2 is in production. It’s going to be big, like the Guinness World Record,” the 76-year-old said in a promotional video. The massive 6.748-meter billboard (22 feet, 1.8 inches) was originally made for a FUBAR billboard in Vienna, Austria. However, while this might be the Austrian Oak’s newest record, he has several other unique and surprising world records that stand to this day.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: The record-setting bodybuilder

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Bodybuilding fans have good reason to consider Arnold Schwarzenegger among the greatest champions in bodybuilding. Besides helping make the sport popular in the mainstream, Schwarzenegger was the first man to show how dominant a bodybuilder could become. While a handful have matched him, only two have surpassed his seven Olympia title wins.

However, we’re here to talk about the records that still stand today. The Austrian Oak started competing as a teenager and almost immediately set a record on the international stage. The bodybuilding icon became the youngest bodybuilder to become an IFBB Pro and the Mr. Universe at 20.

Arnie’s record as the youngest bodybuilder fell after 57 years in 2023. American bodybuilder Anton Ratushnyi became the youngest IFBB Classic Physique Pro last year at the NPC National Championships at 19. However, Schwarzenegger’s title as the youngest Mr. Universe, which he achieved simultaneously, continues to stand.

After becoming the youngest Mr. Universe, the then-20-year-old set out to capture the Olympia title. Arnold Schwarzenegger achieved his goal within three years, becoming the youngest Mr. Olympia at 23. Besides the major bodybuilding records, Arnold Schwarzenegger also holds some unique records in the sport.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was the last bodybuilder to win the Mr. Olympia title without facing any competition on stage. While Sergio Oliva became the first person to win the title unopposed in 1968, Schwarzenegger became the last man to do so in 1971. The bodybuilding legend also holds the record for the longest hiatus between Olympia titles at five years.

After retiring from the sport in 1975, Arnie returned in 1980 to win the title again. Interestingly, Schwarzenegger’s best friend Franco Columbu jointly held this record after he also came back from a five-year break between Olympia titles in 1981. Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to set records after retiring from competitive bodybuilding.

Arnold Schwarzenegger co-founded the Arnold Classic, and today it holds the record for largest attendance at a bodybuilding event, with an average of 50,000 people attending the Arnold Expo each year, according to Guinness World Records. The Austrian transitioned from bodybuilding to acting in the late 1970s but continued record-breaking ways in Hollywood.

The Terminator broke records in Hollywood as well

The Austrian Oak continued to be a pioneer in Hollywood, just like he had been in bodybuilding. Schwarzenegger defined the action cinema genre alongside Sylvester Stallone in the 80s and 90s. He also starred in path-breaking sci-fi films like Predator (1987) and The Terminator. After establishing himself as a box-office juggernaut, Arnie teamed up with James Cameron for True Lies.

True Lies (1994) became the first film to surpass the $100 million budget. While $100 million for a film may not sound groundbreaking today, it was the world’s most expensive film in 1994. Arnold Schwarzenegger led the project to a sound success at the box office, where it earned over $400 million. Schwarzenegger also holds a unique record that ties into the video game industry.

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The 76-year-old former Governor of California is the most prolific movie-to-videogame star, according to Guinness World Records. So far, 13 of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s films have been adapted into video games. They include:

  • 1984’s Conan the Destroyer
  • The Terminator (1984)
  • Predator (1987)
  • The Running Man (1987)
  • Red Heat (1988)
  • Total Recall (1990)
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
  • Last Action Hero (1993)
  • True Lies (1994)
  • Batman & Robin (1997)
  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
  • The Expendables 2 (2012)
  • Terminator Genisys (2015)

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Arnold Schwarzenegger also holds the Guinness World Record for the most films made by a bodybuilder, at 47. However, the most unique record that Arnie holds in Hollywood has nothing to do with films. The seven-time Mr. Olympia holds the record for the heaviest bench press by a movie star. Not even Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson or John Cena (both of whom have starred in the Fast and Furious franchise) could break Arnie’s 474-pound benchpress record.

So, while getting the world’s biggest action figure might be the latest feather in his cap, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been breaking records for decades.