Ben-Nadav Hafri

Stan gets the green light from the executives at TNT. There's some negotiating and they offer Schwarzenegger $100,000. And then one night, Stan's phone rings.

Stan gets the green light from the executives at TNT. There's some negotiating and they offer Schwarzenegger $100,000. And then one night, Stan's phone rings.

He goes over for a meeting at Arnold's offices in Santa Monica.

He goes over for a meeting at Arnold's offices in Santa Monica.

They sit down. Arnold has notes on the script.

They sit down. Arnold has notes on the script.

And all of a sudden, Janet Brownell, who wrote the original script for the remake, is looking at a very different movie.

And all of a sudden, Janet Brownell, who wrote the original script for the remake, is looking at a very different movie.

Arnold wants them to get someone else to come in and punch up the script.

Arnold wants them to get someone else to come in and punch up the script.

Commando, the 1985 action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which the critic from the LA Times referred to as a, quote, gory crowd pleaser and a glorified fireworks display.

Commando, the 1985 action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which the critic from the LA Times referred to as a, quote, gory crowd pleaser and a glorified fireworks display.

Jeff Loeb, the friend who wrote Commando, gets hired to do the rewrite with his writing partner.

Jeff Loeb, the friend who wrote Commando, gets hired to do the rewrite with his writing partner.

I just have to say, everyone in this episode is going to do their own Schwarzenegger impression, which is good because even though we couldn't land an interview with him, I feel like he's here with us in spirit. Anyway, they settle in and start rewriting the film Commando style.

I just have to say, everyone in this episode is going to do their own Schwarzenegger impression, which is good because even though we couldn't land an interview with him, I feel like he's here with us in spirit. Anyway, they settle in and start rewriting the film Commando style.

They start burning through the script. A big job for any director is giving notes on the rewrites. Schwarzenegger was calling in help from his director friends, including legendary comedy director Ivan Reitman, the guy who did Ghostbusters. Everyone was working to realize Arnold's vision.

They start burning through the script. A big job for any director is giving notes on the rewrites. Schwarzenegger was calling in help from his director friends, including legendary comedy director Ivan Reitman, the guy who did Ghostbusters. Everyone was working to realize Arnold's vision.

This was beginning to look like a train nobody would step in front of. Back at TNT, the executives had a dim sense of what was going on.

This was beginning to look like a train nobody would step in front of. Back at TNT, the executives had a dim sense of what was going on.