THEY said it wouldn't happen. A year ago, when Jim Carrey became the first actor to be paid $20 million for appearing in a single film (The Cable Guy) and Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly followed suit - the Hollywood studios insisted that actors fees had peaked. But not for long.

Schwarzenegger is expected to get $25 million to play the villainous Mr Freeze in Batman and Robin - plus a share of the merchandising revenue which should earn him about another $10 million. Screen International calculates that Arnie's going rate is now $595,238 a day, $24,802 an hour, $413 a minute and about $7 a second. Nice work if you can get it.