Arnold Schwarzenegger is back!

The legendary action-star left Hollywood to become the Governor of California almost a decade ago and now finally returns to the big screen with The Last Stand, which opens in theaters on January 18th. 

The former-Governator appeared in a minor role in his friend Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables and The Expendables 2, respectively, but has not starred in a major movie since ‘2003s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. However, the actor has stayed very busy since resigning from politics having shot the upcoming film The Tomb, also co-starring Stallone, and toying with the idea of returning to two of his most successful franchises with new installments of Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, as well as Triplets, which is the proposed sequel to Twins co-starring Danny DeVito. 

But first Arnold can bee seen doing what he does best … kicking ass in The Last Stand. The new film, which was helmed by South Korean director Jee-Woon Kim (I Saw the Devil), stars Schwarzenegger as the Sheriff of a Mexican boarder town who must defend his community from a dangerous drug cartel leader (Eduardo Noriega) on the run from the FBI and trying to escape to Mexico. In addition to Schwarzenegger, the film also boasts an impressive cast of supporting actors including Johnny Knoxville (The Dukes of Hazzard), Rodrigo Santoro (There Be Dragons), Jaimie Alexander (Thor: The Dark World), Luis Guzman (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island), Zach Gilford (Answers to Nothing), Peter Stormare (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night), Harry Dean Stanton (The Avengers), Genesis Rodriguez (Casa di Mi Padre), and Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker (A Dark Truth).   

I recently had the pleasure of attending a press conference for The Last Stand, along with several other members of the press, and had a chance to hear what Arnold Schwarzenegger had to say about his new film, his big screen comeback, leaving politics behind, doing action scenes at his age, working with director Jee-Woon Kim, the Newtown tragedy, and his advice to Congress. 

Opening in theaters on January 18th is the new action film The Last Stand starring former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, which marks his first leading role in a movie since Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The film was helmed by South Korean director Kim Ji-woon (I Saw the Devil) and in addition to Schwarzenegger also stars Johnny Knoxville (The Dukes of Hazzard), Rodrigo Santoro (There Be Dragons), Jaimie Alexander (Thor: The Dark World), Zach Gilford (Answers to Nothing), Genesis Rodriguez (Casa de Mi Padre), Luis Guzman (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island), Peter Stormare (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night), Harry Dean Stanton (The Avengers), and Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker (A Dark Truth). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the beautiful Jaimie Alexander to talk about her work on The Last Stand. The talented actress discussed her new movie, meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger for the first time, shooting guns with The Terminator, what he's like on set, and working with a director who needs a translator. 

Synopsis:  After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell, Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow.

The first clip from this month's The Last Stand has landed online, just as its protagonist lands after hurling himself through the window of a diner.

He showed up in The Expendables 2, but Arnold Schwarzenegger's first starring role since spending some time in the ultimate vanity role as California's Governor is The Last Stand, a new trailer for which is now available online.

Lionsgate has released a second theatrical trailer for The Last Stand, an actioner that marks the first starring role for a certain Austrian muscle-slab who spent some time in California politics.

Synopsis: After leaving his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, Sheriff Ray Owens moved out of Los Angeles and settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell, Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow. Cortez’ path: straight through Summerton Junction, where the whole of the U.S. law enforcement, including Agent John Bannister will have their final opportunity to intercept him before the violent fugitive slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately rallies his team and takes the matter into his own hands, setting the stage for a classic showdown.

After improbably spending some time as the governor of California then laying low to avoid the public shitstorm that accompanied certain thoroughly unwholesome revelations, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to thespianism with a series of roles, including a starring turn in the action-drama The Last Stand.

Today, we get a look at the first poster for the film, along with an official synopsis of the story.

Character actor Luis Guzman is probably best known for his collaborations with director Steven Soderberg on Out of Sight, Traffic, and The Limey, as well as his work with director Paul Thomas Anderson on Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love, but the iconic actor has also appeared in such popular films as Carlito’s Way, Yes Man, Arthur, and The Taking of Pelham 123. The talented Puerto Rican born actor, who now resides in Vermont, was most recently seen starring on the HBO series How to Make it in America but now returns to the big screen with his latest film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which opens in theaters on February 10^th in 3D.

The film serves as a sequel to ‘2008s Journey to the Center of the Earth but only features actor Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) from the original film reprising his role as Sean Anderson. The new cast includes the addition of Dwayne Johnson (Fast Five) as Sean’s new stepfather Hank Parsons. When Sean finds a clue that was sent to him by his long lost grandfather (Michael Caine) explaining that the islands in the novels Treasure Island, Gulliver’s Travels, and Mysterious Island are all the same body of land, Sean begins to believe that the island really exists and that his Grandfather is stranded there. Wanting to prove to Sean that it doesn’t exist, and grow closer to his stepson, Hank agrees to travel with Sean to Palau to find the lost island and save his grandfather. Along with a partially incompetent tour guide named Gabato (Guzman) and his daughter Kailani, played by Vanessa Hudgens (Sucker Punch), Sean and Hank embark on finding the island and rescuing Sean’s grandfather. But what they find on the island … maybe stranger than they ever could have imagined.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor Luis Guzman on the phone while he was in Hawaii promoting Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Guzman discussed the new movie, his character, the film’s special effects, working with director Brad Peyton (Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore), Dwayne Johnson’s improvisational skills, acting opposite screen legend Michael Caine, and his next film Last Stand, which will mark actor and former-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fist starring film role in almost a decade.

Synopsis: In this follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” the new 3D family adventure “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret.

Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzmán) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.