Despite spending millions on promotion, The Last Action Hero (1993) failed, and Schwarzenegger sunk into despair. The turmoil inside him reminded him of a fateful night in 1968 when he lost against Frank Zane in a bodybuilding contest.
The seven-time Mr. Olympia likened the feeling, to losing the 1968 Mr. Universe contest against Frank Zane in Miami
He recounted, “He’d(Zane) shown up (in Miami) in the best shape of his career… perfectly proportioned, muscular, and cut up.” However, the loss stunned Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just as he would feel 25 years down the line, “that night, despair came crashing in.”