Before going off to Romania to shoot his next film, The Keeping Room, about a Civil War soldier who has broken off from the Union Army encounters a group of women who have been left to fend for themselves, Collider got the opportunity to chat with actor Sam Worthington about the surf drama Drift, which is available on demand July 2nd and in theaters everywhere August 2nd.

While we will post what he had to say about that film in June, we did want to share what he had to say about some of his other upcoming projects.  During the interview, he talked about how different his character in The Keeping Room is, how working with director David Ayer on the action thriller Ten was the best experience, what it was like to work with someone as iconic as Arnold Schwarzenegger, that James Cameron will start shooting the Avatar sequels whenever he’s ready, and how he doesn’t think there will be a third Clash of the Titans films.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Which film are you going to shoot next?

SAM WORTHINGTON:  I’m doing The Keeping Room in Romania, with a guy called Daniel Barber, who did Harry Brown (with Michael Caine).  He’s good.  And Brit Marling and Hailee Steinfeld are in it.  It’s gonna be great!  It’s a real different character.  I get to be a bit different, and not me anymore, which is nice.

Was it the character that drew you to that, or who you’d be working with?

WORTHINGTON:  It was the character, and the director liked my idea for him.  The cast is the cherry on the top.  I’m looking for things where, like with Ten, I don’t look like me and I’m playing something a bit different.  I’m just trying to flex a different muscle and see if it works.  I’ve saved the world and killed monsters and done all that.  Now I want to try something a bit different and a bit more challenging.

How was the experience of working with David Ayer on Ten?

WORTHINGTON:  I loved it!  It was the best experience, ever.  He’s awesome!  Who knows how crazy that movie is gonna turn out?  It might not work, or it could be absolute genius.  He’s awesome!  His style of shooting and the way he’s empowering and the way he trusts you is great.

And he really wanted to show a different Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film, with the hair and tattoos.

WORTHINGTON:  Yeah, Arnold is very different.  It’s good.  He just gives you trust and allows you to do what you want to do and allows you to push boundaries.  He’ll push your buttons, and you go and explore.  It’s a really fun way of making movies, and a really creative way.  It’s always about the craft, it’s always about the story, and it’s always about the characters.  He’s fearless, so it’s great.

How was it to work with Arnold?

WORTHINGTON:  He’s the big man.  He’s an icon.  He’s not only an icon of film, but he’s an icon with everything he’s put his mind to.  He’s done it.  He was the world’s best bodybuilder.  He conquered Hollywood in the ‘80s.  He conquered politics.  Now he’s back conquering Hollywood.  He’s a force.  Every day, you pinch yourself.  He’s just got a great sense of go-getting.

Do you have a favorite Arnold movie, and were you able to geek out with him, at all?

WORTHINGTON:  I talked to him heaps about different movies.  Of course, you do, because you grew up watching them.  Commando, Predator, Running Man, Total Recall, all the Terminators.  I love True Lies, where he rides a horse into a lift.  That was incredible!  You just talk to him, and he’s got great stories about each one.  It’s a testament to his career that those films are going to hold up forever.

With the stages being built now for Avatar 2 and 3, do you know if you’ll start shooting by the end of this year?

WORTHINGTON:  Whatever Jim [Cameron] wants. 

So, you haven’t gotten an update from him?

WORTHINGTON:  I talk to Jim quite often.  It’s up to him, when he wants to go.  No one is going to tell him when to go. 

With as successful as Wrath of the Titans was, especially considering the international box office, do you think there could be a third one?

WORTHINGTON:  I don’t think so.  I loved working with Ralph [Fiennes] and Liam [Neeson], especially.  But, who knows.  I’d love to work with those boys again, on something.

Look for more with Sam Worthington next month.