Schwarzenegger is the classic action hero

Approaching 56, Schwarzenegger plans says there is nothing to stop him carrying on as an action hero.

The star is at the Cannes Film Festival to promote the long-awaited Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

It is nearly two decades since the former bodybuilder first played the Terminator, but Schwarzenegger told a press conference he was only halfway through his acting career.

"Is this my last Terminator? No. I've so many more years left," he said.

"I'm totally full of energy and thanks to my weight training and cardio-vascular training I'm in great shape.

"I consider this the middle term of my career."

And he urged fans: "Go out and see the movie. The more successful the movie is, the faster we can make Terminator 4."

With a huge budget of more than �100m, Terminator 3 is one of the most expensive films ever made.

Schwarzenegger will bank an enormous �20m for his role as a human-resembling android killing machine.

'Greatest' instalment

"I've worked harder on Terminator 3 than on any movie I've ever done. It was very hard as far as the stunts were concerned and I got some serious injuries which left me needing surgery.

"But I think Terminator 3 is the greatest of all the Terminators," he said.

The movie is not yet finished but is being heavily promoted at Cannes.

Schwarzenegger was accompanied by wife Maria Shriver, and will attend a Terminator-themed MTV party over the weekend.

The glitzy occasion at a villa in the hills above Cannes will see guests mingle with robots from the film flown over from Hollywood especially for the party.

Party organisers are laying on 4,000 bottles of champagne for the guests.