‘Kindergarten Cop’ could’ve earned more – Arnold Schwarzenegger lost $25M as a result!

SUMMARY

Arnold Schwarzenegger starrer ‘Kindergarten Cop’ grossed over $200M worldwide.
The Hollywood star believed the film could have done much better.
Reflecting on ‘Twins’ ($110M US), he believed ‘Kindergarten Cop’ could have matched it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous Hollywood action star, has a net worth of $400 million. However, some risky decisions may have affected his wealth.

For instance, take the movie Kindergarten Cop. Even though the film was a huge success, according to the former-bodybuilder, it could have earned $25 million more.

Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Kindergarten Cop follows the story of John Kimble, a tough cop played by Schwarzenegger. In the movie, Kimble goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to track down the ex-wife and son of a dangerous drug lord, who are in hiding.

Its legacy is a complex one. While it did well financially, it also stirred up discussions about what’s appropriate for children in movies.

While some people enjoyed its humor, others were concerned about the level of violence it portrayed.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Decision Led him to lose $25M
Arnold Schwarzenegger as John Kimble in Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop wasn’t a flop, in fact, it brought in over $200 million globally. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger himself believed it could have performed even better.

Reflecting on another movie he worked on with director Ivan Reitman, Twins, which earned over $110 million (per Interview) in the United States alone, Arnie felt that Kindergarten Cop could have matched or even exceeded that success.

Speaking to Interview Magazine, he discussed how much money he thought Kindergarten Cop lost:

“I would say $25 million worth. It should have reached the exact same audience as Twins, which made over $110 million; Kindergarten Cop made $85 million.”

According to the 76-year-old (via above interview), the 1990 film made $85 million in the United States. As of early 2024, this figure had gone up to around $91.4 million.

Internationally, the movie earned $110.5 million. So, in total, it made about $202 million from ticket sales worldwide (via The Numbers).

However, the critics had a different take on the movie. They felt it was a bit confused in terms of tone, criticizing the way it mixed violence with childish humor.

Quotes from critics on Rotten Tomatoes (via The Things) said, “Kindergarten Cop is too grim for children and too cloying for adults.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Defended Kindergarten Cop Amidst Criticism

A still from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s favorite movie Kindergarten Cop

Even though Kindergarten Cop did well, it faced criticism over the years for mixing children and violence.

Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about this criticism and defended the decisions he and director Ivan Reitman made. The former Governor of California said in the same interview:

“I took heat, the film took heat, Ivan took heat. You can never dissociate yourself when there is heat. You can’t say, ‘I had nothing to do with it,’ and then when someone else says it was the greatest thing say, ‘Yeah, this is me.’

You have to take the responsibility both ways. I, of course, felt the arguments against the film were totally unjustifiable. We made a really conscious effort not to be violent.”

He acknowledged the controversy but argued that the filmmakers made a “conscious effort not to be violent.” He stated the PG-13 rating as a clear warning to parents.

The Austrian native thinks the movie’s strength comes from its unusual idea — a tough cop in a powerless situation.

This clash, he argues, creates humor alongside the serious plot. That’s why it is Schwarzy’s favorite, too.