has appeared in a number of franchises throughout his career, but some of his sequel movies are better than others. Schwarzenegger's career as one of the biggest action stars of all time certainly delivered on some big movies, but includes fewer sequels than you might assume. For instance, while the Predator franchise is still ongoing, Schwarzenegger only appeared in the first movie, while other big films, like Total Recall and The Running Man, led to remakes rather than sequels.

However, Schwarzenegger has found certain characters that he enjoys playing again just as much as fans enjoy watching them. His role as the T-800 in the Terminator franchise has become iconic, while Conan the Barbarian was also a pivotal movie in building his career. Schwarzenegger has also stepped into franchises in which he is not the lead, as well as joined some ongoing franchises, including a popular superhero series. This has resulted in eight sequels that Schwarzenegger has appeared in over the course of his career, varying considerably in quality.

Following the disappointing reception of Terminator: Salvation, which was the first Terminator movie in which Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't appear, he returned as the T-800 in Terminator: Genysis. However, Terminator: Genysis retconned much of the franchise, establishing a new Terminator timeline in which Sarah Connor and her protector Terminator (Schwarzenegger) seek to rewrite history and the future.

Terminator: Genysis attempts to tie various aspects of the previous movies together, resulting in a messy and confused story that loses sight of what worked in those beloved early movies. Schwarzenegger is the highlight of the film, but this version of the T-800 is made too comedic at times. Worst of all, the movie fails to deliver any memorable action sequences, focusing instead on fan-service moments that end up falling flat.

Batman & Robin is considered by many to be one of the worst movies ever made. While that reputation might be slightly hyperbolic, there is no question that it is a bad movie. In fact, Batman & Robin tanked the Batman film franchise for nearly a decade before Christopher Nolan resurrected it with Batman Begins. It is not a coincidence that Nolan's gritty and dark take on the superhero was the exact opposite of the cartoonish Batman & Robin.

While Batman & Robin is a direct sequel to Batman Forever, George Clooney stepped in as Batman, replacing Val Kilmer. It was also Arnold Schwarzenegger's first Batman movie, playing the villainous Mr. Freeze. While the villain is notoriously stoic and hardened in the most beloved interpretations, Schwarzenegger's goofy performance is a testament to how off-target this movie was. . Schwarzenegger's ice puns are also a prime example of the movie's misguided humor, too cheesy for even younger audiences.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy as one of the biggest action stars of all time made him a must-have addition to The Expendables franchise. While Sylvester Stallone was at the head of the first three movies as Barney Ross, Schwarzenegger made appearances in three installments as Trench, an ally/rival to Ross. The Expendables 3 sees Ross facing off with an old nemesis (Mel Gibson) and assembling a new crew of younger soldiers to save the day.

The Expendables movies have never fully followed through on the promise of assembling the greatest action heroes of all time, as all the films have been fairly disappointing in terms of throwback fun. Even with exciting new additions, including Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, and Wesley Snipes, The Expendables 3 unwisely brings in a new cast of fairly forgettable characters. .

It had often been noted that the Terminator series drastically diminished following Terminator 2: Judgment Day. That is likely the reason why Terminator: Dark Fate sought to ignore everything else, make a direct sequel to the second movie, and bring back one of the key elements of the franchise that had been missing since that 1991 sequel. Sadly, Linda Hamilton's return as Sarah Connor did little to turn around the franchise's decline. Terminator: Dark Fate sees Sarah returning from her life in hiding to help protect a new chosen savior of humanity who has been targeted by a Terminator.

. There are also some interesting things done with Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800, giving him the most to do since the second movie. Had he and Hamilton been leading this new movie, it could have worked better, but the new storyline is dull and didn't engage fans enough to want more.

Conan the Barbarian is not talked about quite as often as some of Arnold Schwarzenegger's other classics, but it was a huge movie for establishing him as a lead actor. Conan the Destroyer is a step down in quality and has not held up as well as the original, but it still delivers on the pulpy fun of the swords and sorcery adventure. There is a campy, low-budget quality to the sequel that works well, especially in comparison to the overblown CGI fantasy movies that come out now.

However, while Conan the Destroyer can be enjoyed as a fun time, it really pales in comparison to the original movie. . Schwarzenegger shows glimpses of his comedic skills that would be used more effectively in later movies, but it is a disappointment that his character doesn't get to be quite the animalistic hero that he was in the first movie.

Terminator: Rise of the Machines has always had a worse reputation than it deserves. Coming out after Terminator 2 and marking the first Terminator movie without James Cameron at the helm, it was always going to be seen as a disappointment. However, despite its many flaws, it is still the best of the Terminator sequels post-Judgment Day. Not surprisingly, it is Arnold Schwarzenegger who is the highlight of the movie, returning to the role he plays so well and bringing a battle-weary quality that surprisingly works.

The movie also features some great action set pieces, including the wild highway chase. It also builds to a bleak and intriguing ending that boldly sets up the future of the franchise. However, Cameron's direction and writing are sorely missing. In particular,, while the chemistry between Nick Stahl's John Connor and Schwarzenegger's Terminator is severely lacking compared to the previous movie. However, it is still a fun ride and a serviceable Terminator sequel.

Following his one-scene cameo in The Expendables, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as Trench in The Expendables 2, finally getting in on the action of the franchise. The sequel follows Barney Ross and his team facing off with a villainous mercenary (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who is trying to acquire a nuclear weapon. Once again, it is not a subtle movie, relying on the fact that the audience isn't going to care about the story and the dialogue so long as there's good action.

The Expendables 2 is thankfully the most action-packed entry of the franchise, delivering some really fun moments. . Chuck Norris also has an entertaining cameo, and while the film gets a little carried away with its jokey references to the stars' other movies, it is still a mindless thrill ride.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only Arnold Schwarzenegger's best sequel, but it is one of the best sequels ever made. James Cameron repeated what he did with Aliens, making a sequel that honors the first movie but takes it in a completely new direction. As much as Terminator 2 delivers on being a hugely entertaining big-budget action movie, .

Schwarzenegger is just as iconic as this new version of the Terminator, acting as the protector of young John Connor. He is in full action hero mode, and his deadpan delivery of the sequel's jokes delivers big laughs. Linda Hamilton also transforms, becoming an action hero in her own right as the survivalist version of Sarah Connor. The characters are richer and develop real connections, making for a surprisingly emotional conclusion.

It is easy to forget that the first Terminator movie was a fairly small-scale thriller. While that worked quite well, . From the LA River chase scene to the T-800's barroom brawl to the factory climax, it is an exciting and boundary-pushing genre movie that still holds up today.