,” Cameron stated. “It’s time for a new generation of characters. I insisted Arnold had to be involved in ‘Terminator: Dark Fate,’ and it was a great finish to him playing the T-800.”
The Terminator Legacy Continues
While Schwarzenegger will not return, the ‘Terminator’ franchise is far from over. Cameron expressed his excitement for the next installment, stating, “Once the dust clears on ‘Avatar’ in a couple of months, I’m going to really plunge into that.” The director further elaborated, “There are a lot of narrative problems to solve. The biggest is how do I stay enough ahead of what’s really happening to make it science fiction?”
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Reflections on the Franchise
Apart from Cameron’s insights, Arnold Schwarzenegger himself shared his thoughts during an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live.” When asked about his least favorite ‘Terminator’ movie, Schwarzenegger admitted it was ‘Terminator Salvation’. He explained, “I would say the worst was probably the No. 4, because that was done during the time I was governor and I was not in it. How do you do a ‘Terminator’ movie without me being in the ‘Terminator’ movie? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Despite his absence from ‘Terminator Salvation,’ Schwarzenegger is still proud of his contributions to the franchise, particularly his role in ‘Terminator Genisys’. “It was a great finish to him playing the T-800,” Cameron reminisced.
James Cameron’s Thoughts on ‘Avatar’ and Beyond
In addition to discussing the future of the ‘Terminator’ franchise, Cameron delved into his current projects. The director refuted Matt Damon’s claims that he was offered a role in the first ‘Avatar’ movie, stating, “He was never offered the part.” Cameron elaborated on the situation, explaining, “I can’t remember if I sent him the script or not. I don’t think I did?
Then we wound up on a call and he said, ‘I love to explore doing a movie with you. I have a lot of respect for you as a filmmaker. sounds intriguing.’” Damon turned down the idea immediately, stating, “‘I really have to do this ‘Jason Bourne’ movie,’ he recounted. ‘It’s a direct conflict, and so, regretfully, I have to turn it down.’”
Despite the initial availability issue, Cameron expressed his respect for Matt Damon’s decision: “He felt compelled to call me personally and tell me; he said he didn’t want it to come from the agent — that’s an honorable guy,” Cameron gushed. “So all respect to Matt. I’d love to work with him someday.”
As the ‘Terminator’ franchise moves forward, fans are eagerly awaiting the next installment and the broader interpretations of the iconic characters.
Meanwhile, James Cameron is focused on completing his groundbreaking ‘Avatar’ series before diving back into the world of time travel and super intelligence.
What do you think about the future of the ‘Terminator’ franchise without Arnold Schwarzenegger? Share your thoughts in the comments below.