Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers

by Timothy Ferriss

Arnold’s Most Personally Profitable Film Was . . . Twins? “Twins came together because I felt very strongly that I had a very humorous side, and that if someone would be patient enough and willing to work with me as a director, that they would be able to bring that humor out of me.” Arnold loved Ghostbusters, so he pursued the director, Ivan Reitman. Since most people felt a comedy with Schwarzenegger would flop, that was a blind spot they could capitalize on: “We sat around at a restaurant, and we made a deal on a napkin: ‘We’re going to make the movie for free. We don’t want to get any salaries and we get a big back end. Ivan gave it to Tom Pollock, who was then running Universal Studios. Tom Pollock said ‘This is great, and we can make this movie for $16.5M if you guys don’t take a salary and you get a big back end [profit participation]. We’re going to give you 37%’ or whatever for Danny [DeVito], Ivan, and me [to divide among ourselves]. We worked out the percentage [our salaries would have been of the production budget] . . . and that’s how we ended up dividing up the pot amongst ourselves. Let me tell you, I made more money on that movie than any other movie, and the gift keeps on giving. It’s just wonderful. Tom Pollock, after the movie came out, he says, ‘All I can tell you is that this is what you guys did to me.’ Then he turned around and bent over and pulled his pockets out. ‘You’ve fucked me and cleaned me out.’ It was very funny. He said he’d never make that ...