The third installment in James Cameron’s legendary Avatar series is now playing in theaters everywhere, and fans are wondering what’s next for the sci-fi savant. Avatars 4 and 5 are currently scheduled to release in 2029 and 2031, respectively, but Cameron has also confirmed that he’s working on a new Terminator project. Details about the project are currently being kept under wraps, as it’s still in the very early stages of development. However, everyone is asking the same question: Will Arnold Schwarzenegger be involved? During a recent interview, Cameron answered this question directly without beating around the bush.
Earlier this year, Cameron confirmed that he was having trouble writing the next chapter in the Terminator story. He says it doesn’t feel as much like sci-fi with some of the issues in the world, and he confirmed he’s still struggling with the same issue. “There are a lot of narrative problems to solve. The biggest is how do I stay ahead of what’s really happening to make it science fiction?” Continuing, when Cameron was asked directly if Arnold Schwarzenegger would star as the Terminator in this new story, Cameron definitively said, “I can safely say he won’t be in it. It’s time for a new generation of characters.”
Cameron also spoke on the 2019 Terminator movie, Dark Fate, which returned Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton to their signature roles but also added new stars like McKenzie Davis and Natalie Reyes. Cameron said he “insisted that Arnold would be involved in Terminator: Dark Fate,” calling it a “satisfying ending for his time with the character.” In the time since the film was released in 2019, Schwarzenegger has criticized Terminator: Dark Fate, saying that he does not believe the film was very well written.
No One Knows Sci-Fi Like James Cameron
In the eyes of most younger audiences, James Cameron is best known for directing the Avatar movies, which makes sense considering he hasn’t done anything else in over 15 years. However, between his work with the Terminator franchise and also Aliens (1986), Cameron has delivered some of the most legendary sci-fi hits of all time. He’s also responsible for the 1997 masterpiece, which stars a young Leonardo DiCaprio and grossed over $2 billion at the box office. Only seven movies have ever grossed over $2 billion at the box office, and Cameron is responsible for three of them.
via Collider