James Cameron is preparing to write the script for the next Terminator movie, but he has confirmed to THR that the face of the franchise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, won’t be appearing. This isn’t a massive surprise, as Cameron had previously stated that the new sequel wouldn’t include characters from any of the previous movies. Additionally, there’s the matter of Schwarzenegger saying he’s done with the franchise.
Cameron on Schwarzenegger’s Involvement in More Terminator
“I can safely say he won’t be [in it],” Cameron said. “It’s time for a new generation of characters. I insisted Arnold had to be involved in [2019’s] Terminator: Dark Fate, and it was a great finish to him playing the T-800. There needs to be a broader interpretation of Terminator and the idea of a time war and super intelligence. I want to do new stuff that people aren’t imagining.“
While it is great to see Schwarzenegger in the role, the franchise should have shifted its focus a long time ago. The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day continue to stand the test of time as some of the finest sci-fi action movies ever made, but the subsequent sequels always felt like they were trying (and failing) to recapture that lightning in a bottle. The last three installments (Terminator: Salvation, Terminator: Genisys, and Terminator: Dark Fate) were each meant to kick-start a new trilogy, but they all underperformed and were criticized by fans. If they can’t let the franchise rest, a fresh start would be the best option. Just give us something new.
No Easter Eggs or Callbacks
Cameron stated he’s ready to dive into the new Terminator project once the dust settles on Avatar: Fire and Ash. “There are a lot of narrative problems to solve,” he said. “The biggest is how do I stay enough ahead of what’s really happening to make it science fiction?” In addition to not including Schwarzenegger, Cameron also doesn’t want any fan-friendly callbacks like those seen in Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth series. “I’m not going to do [that],” he said. “I’m not criticizing it, but I was there for Aliens, what, 41 years ago? Something like that wouldn’t be of interest to me. The things that scare you the most are exactly the things you should be doing. Nobody should be operating artistically from a comfort zone.“
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