While Sylvester Stallone has had plenty of hugely memorable roles, it is hard to deny that there are some acting parts that his oldest rival, Arnold Schwarzenegger, would have done better. The two are both known for their action-packed films and, despite having unique personas and acting styles, it makes sense to compare the two to each other. While earlier in each of their careers the animosity between the two would lead to direct attacks on one another in the media, today they have a much more playful relationship and have even appeared together in movies like The Expendables.
Stallone has played a wide variety of roles that include special forces officers, no-nonsense cops, and mercenary leaders. Schwarzenegger’s experience in massive movie franchises, including Conan and The Terminator, means he would be the obvious second choice for most of Stallone’s most famous roles. There have even been times when the two have been in the running for the same movie, only for Stallone to realize he had been tricked into accepting the part.
7
Sergeant Joe Bomowski
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992)
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is a buddy cop movie starring Sylvester Stallone and Estelle Getty that Stallone regrets making. He only took the lead role in the movie because he heard that his rival Arnold Schwarzenegger was interested in the part. However, Schwarzenegger tricked Stallone into doing Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot by faking interest in the movie. The scheme paid off, but it also leaves open the possibility that Schwarzenegger would have done a better job with the role. Considering the abysmal reception to the film, there’s a good chance he would have, as Schwarzenegger shined in other lighthearted comedies such as Twins and Kindergarten Cop.
6
Corporal Weaver
Antz (1998)
Sylvester Stallone’s voice role as the macho-muscled ant Corporal Weaver in the DreamWorks Animation feature Antz could have just as easily gone to Arnold Schwarzenegger, as the two actors both accurately fit into the characters’ overblown bodybuilder stereotype. While Stallone has lent his voice to several animated features, including Ratchet & Clank and Zookeepers, Schwarzenegger has been less active when it comes to this type of work. Still, one thing is for certain, if he had taken up the role of an Arnie ant, there would have been plenty of fun opportunities for insect-based puns such as “I’ll bee back.”
5
Barney Ross
The Expendables Franchise (2010-2023)
The leader of the Expendables, Barney Ross, is one of Sylvester Stallone’s best-loved roles this century, but Arnold Schwarzenegger would have been even better in the part. Schwarzenegger portrayed Barney’s former comrade and competing mercenary Trent “Trench” Mauser in the first three Expendables movies, yet it’s not difficult to imagine him instead taking on the lead role and bringing his distinct style to the character. Taking influence from his previous roles as leaders like Colonel John Matrix in Commando, Kindergarten Cop’s Detective John Kimble, or Agent Harry Tasker in True Lies, Schwarzenegger could bring something different to the character of Barney Ross.
4
Lieutenant Victor Von Ion
Ratchet & Clank (2016)
Sylvester Stallone voiced Lieutenant Victor Von Ion in an animated film adaptation of the original Ratchet & Clank video game. A bodyguard to the antagonist, Chairman Drek, Stallone’s character is an unstoppable robotic killing machine who is bent on hunting down his enemies at all costs. If that sounds familiar, it’s because these are the same traits as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cybernetic assassin in The Terminator. With such a wealth of experience playing this type of character, Lieutenant Victor Von Ion was a role Schwarzenegger could have played with his eyes closed, which may not have been too difficult considering this was a voice-acting job.
3
Stakar Ogord
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) & Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2022)
Sylvester Stallone joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his portrayal of Stakar Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and reprised the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As the tough guy founder of the Stakar Ravager Clan, he saved Yondu from a life of slavery and helped the Guardians break into OrgoCorp headquarters. No stranger to sci-fi, Arnold Schwarzenegger would have excelled in this role and could have channeled his previous performances in films like Total Recall, The Running Man, and The 6th Day. While Schwarzenegger has yet to join the MCU, he’s open to the possibility if the right role comes along (via Men’s Health).
2
John J. Rambo
The Rambo Franchise (1982-2019)
Ever since the release of First Blood in 1982, audiences have associated the Vietnam War veteran John J. Rambo with Sylvester Stallone’s legendary performance. However, in an alternate universe, it is not impossible to imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger taking up the role of the traumatized PTSD-experiencing ex-Special Forces member. Having played high-level army officer Dutch Schaefer in the Predator series, Schwarzenegger has demonstrated that he has the skills needed to portray a no-nonsense officer who will pull out all the stops to get the job done. This recasting may take some character revisions to explain Schwarzenegger’s Austrian accent, but it would certainly make for an interesting story.
1
Rocky Balboa
The Rocky Franchise (1976-2023)
As the most iconic role that Sylvester Stallone ever played, it is difficult to envision anybody but him as Rocky Balboa. But, if forced to recast the Italian Stallion, only one man could come close to reaching the cinematic highs of the world’s most famous fictional boxer. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Rocky would force audiences to envision the Philadelphia legend as an Austrian immigrant who makes a name for himself defeating the likes of Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, and Thunderlips. For now, the closest thing audiences have to this fantasy coming true is deep fake technology that turns Schwarzenegger into Rocky foe Ivan Draco.