Will he or won't he? Schwarzenegger delays showing political hand.

(From Agence France Presse)

Action star Arnold Schwarzenegger was back at the centre of a mystery worthy of a movie script: whether or not he intends to run for governor of California.

And as Schwarzenegger pondered his future, Californians were faced with the bizarre prospect of possibly having to choose between the Austrian-born movie icon and porn king Larry Flynt in gubernatorial polls October 7.

The 56-year-old star of the blockbuster "Terminator" films was keeping residents of the most populous US state in suspense over whether he would announce his candidacy for its top job.

The cliff-hanger took a fresh turn Thursday, just a day after senior aides to the actor and would-be Republican politician said he had all but decided not to run for governor of the troubled state and was informing supporters of his decision.

But by Thursday, the weeks-old suspense serial was in full swing again, with the expected announcement delayed further and with aides now saying he was firmly undecided about whether to run in the special polls.

"It seems he may be having last minute doubts about his decision not to run, despite his family's apparent preference that he shouldn't," a source close to the actor, who requested anonymity, said.