Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s upcoming project marks a new chapter in his decades-long career. The Predator actor has teamed up with acclaimed author James Patterson on a new mystery-thriller novel.
According to People, the novel, titled The Protector, will mark Schwarzenegger’s fiction-writing debut. Little, Brown and Company will publish the book next fall.
Patterson has previously coauthored books with figures including Bill Clinton, Viola Davis, and Dolly Parton. In an exclusive interview with People, Patterson said, “Arnold has had about five careers already. I figured novelist was overdue. You don’t have to spend much time with Arnold to realize he’s a storyteller. He knows what makes a hero interesting, what makes a villain dangerous, and how to keep an audience entertained.”
The decades-long idea Arnold Schwarzenegger finally brought to life
Although this will mark Schwarzenegger’s first novel, the actor stated that the story had been in development for a while in his mind. In a statement shared with People, the Terminator star said, “This is a story I’ve had in my mind for decades. And I finally found the man to turn my vision into words on a page.”
The official synopsis reads, “The Protector is set in Los Angeles and follows Father Viktor Brennan, a Catholic priest and military veteran who’s taken the helm at a parish plagued by “criminals threatening the community he’s vowed to protect, even as his courageous actions endanger his life, and reveal clues to his mysterious past.”
The Protector is inspired by the co-authors’ shared Catholic background. The duo has also said they wanted to create a villain who would be a worthy opponent. They want their readers to believe that the story’s villain is “fascinating enough, clever enough, and bad enough to defeat our hero.” They also want the hero to be both believable and entertaining. The novel is scheduled for release on October 4, 2027, and is available to preorder now.