The star is in negotiations to join writer-director Steve Pink’s The Toxic Avenger and International Film Trust (IFT) will launch pre-sales in Cannes

Production is set for autumn on the project, loosely based on Lloyd Kaufman’s classic Troma property about a high-school student who gets dunked in a vat of toxic waste and develops superhuman strength.

Schwarzenegger will play The Exterminator, a former Black Ops character who trains the youngster to better use his powers and joins him in the fight against polluters.

Charlie Corwin Stephen Kessler, Michael Benaroya, Kaufman and Michael Herz will serve as executive producers and Akiva Goldsman and Richard Saperstein produce.

IFT president Ariel Veneziano will handle all international rights to the film alongside head of sales Christian de Gallegos.