Chris Hemsworth Recalls Working Out With Arnold Schwarzenegger And Explains How He Influenced An Extraction 2 Scene

Chris Hemsworth looks worried, while hanging onto a train ladder, in Extraction 2.
(Image credit: Jasin Boland/Netflix)

Chris Hemsworth is the talk of the action world right now thanks to the success of Extraction 2, and if you're like me, you'd be keen on him pursuing more action over superhero roles following the sequel's release. Of course, the hit movie stood on the shoulders of giants and pulled from some of the old tricks of action movies past to be a success that has pulled in many with a Netflix subscription. Hemsworth revealed one of those scenes was influenced by classic action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, and recalled working out with him in a recent interview. 

Days after the internet saw Chris Hemsworth and Arnold Schwarzenegger linked up in the gym, the actor talked to Entertainment Tonight about the encounter. Hemsworth, who is known for being pretty ripped for his roles, was understandably psyched when he saw he was in the same gym as the action legend: 

That was cool, yeah, that was the highlight of my life. I saw him in the gym and I was like, 'Oh my god! That's Arnold!' And the heart rate goes up a bit, there's nervous trepidation. 'He's like, Chris! Oh, hey, how are ya?' And we had a chat. [He’s] wonderful.

Chris Hemsworth was grateful to pump iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger, as I would imagine any gym enthusiast would be. The feeling must be even greater when you're someone who is also an actor, and familiar with the massive amount of work that goes into making the types of action films Schwarzenegger popularized in his heyday. 

Those movies made for some iconic moments, one of which is replicated in an Extraction 2 scene. Chris Hemsworth mentioned the scene, as well as the Schwarzenegger movie referenced during it:

A lot of [the films] he's done have inspired action [films] to this day and certainly myself and [Extraction 2 director] Sam [Hargrave] referenced a lot of his films. There's a scene where I'm on top of a train holding a big minigun and I was like, 'We gotta do the Arnold Commando shot!'

The most hilarious thing to me about reading this is that I recognized that homage before learning about this. Chris Hemsworth's instincts were spot on, and what good is a minigun scene in an action movie if you're not going to pay respect to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando? It was a great call by Hemsworth, and one that could score some brownie points with Schwarzenegger should they want him to join up for Extraction 3

And yes, for anyone curious, Extraction 3 is in discussions. In the meantime, Chris Hemsworth is going to continue chatting the world up about the second installment, which is still rocking the top of the Netflix charts. Imagine how hype a third movie would score with Hemsworth and Arnold Schwarzenegger side-by-side? That's almost a pairing I'd say is deserving of a theatrical run, but with both men already working with Netflix, why not we all save some money and watch that collaboration from the comfort of our own homes? 

Maybe if a feature-length show isn't in the cards, they can just do a series where they talk while working out. The whole premise could be them talking about various things and unintentionally influencing each other's future projects. I'm just spitballing here, but if a premise like this makes it to series, I'm expecting a producer credit. 

Extraction 2 and its predecessor are both available to stream on Netflix. Those looking for the best action movies and where to stream them will not be disappointed in the list that CinemaBlend has whipped up!

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.