30 Years Since 'Eraser': How Schwarzenegger Ended the Action Hero Era
At the height of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in so many beloved movies that, decades later, he is still recognized as the greatest action star ever. His massive stature in Hollywood history makes it fitting that 30 years ago today, a hit movie he headlined ended the action hero era.
How Arnold Schwarzenegger Became the ‘Best Action Movie Star of All Time'
In October 2025, Ranker updated its article that let film fans vote on who the "best action movie stars of all time" are. The resulting ranking included several superstars, like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Keanu Reeves, Bruce Lee, Harrison Ford, and Jason Statham. Based on the vote, Arnold Schwarzenegger took the No. 1 spot by a wide margin. The beloved Austrian actor has received 10,925 upvotes as of this writing, while Jackie Chan was in second place with 8,709 upvotes.
Looking back on his years of starring in hit action movies, it would be very hard for anyone to argue that Schwarzenegger didn't deserve the accolade from fans. After all, a May 2024 Australian Forbes article noted that he has starred in a staggering number of action movies that made more than $200 million at the box office. Those films include Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, Total Recall, Eraser, and more. He also starred in other iconic pulse-pounding movies, including The Terminator, Predator, Commando, Raw Deal, and the Conan movies.
The Blockbuster That ‘Closed Out the Action Hero Era'
Given Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy in the genre, it is fitting that his movie, which came out on June 21, 1996, put the era of action heroes to rest. In April 2026, Collider published an article about "5 Great Action Movies That Marked the End of an Era." It argued that Eraser, a Schwarzenegger film that was released 30 years ago today, "closed out the action hero era." To back up its claim, the outlet noted that Eraser was the last time that fans saw the iconic actor as a "larger-than-life action hero in a larger-than-life action movie."
After Eraser was released in 1996, Schwarzenegger starred in other action movies such as End of Days, The 6th Day, Collateral Damage, The Expendables series, and more. However, none of those were movies that depicted him as the unstoppable action hero he'd been before. In some cases, he portrayed a man thrust into dangerous situations, and in others, he was the aging titan back for another ride. Even when he returned to the Terminator franchise after 1996, he was always there as the inferior cyborg struggling to complete its mission.
Looking beyond Schwarzenegger's career, it is undeniable that the definition of an action star changed after 1996. While some throwback movies have tried to recreate Arnold's magic, and martial arts films have continued to thrive, the '80s and early '90s action stars have been replaced. Instead of focusing on men with huge physiques who seemed unstoppable, dramatic actors like Matt Damon, Keanu Reeves, and even Liam Neeson took over the genre. It truly is remarkable to consider how much things changed after Eraser, even if the transition wasn't as cut-and-dried as turning off a light switch.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 4:15 AM.