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James Cameron made a landmark movie in the science fiction genre withThe Terminatorin 1984. Cameron cast Arnold Schwarzenegger as the supervillain AI robot from the future. TheTitanicdirector conceived the idea for the film from a dream about a metallic humanoid holding kitchen knives. For Cameron, the film was also a platform to realize some unconventional fantasies, which he revealed when he later discussed the appeal ofThe Terminator.
TheAvatardirector shared that the villain character was more like a dark Superman who had the freedom to carry out evil acts without concern for retribution. According to Cameron, this ability to commit any wrongdoing represented a hidden little demon that everyone carried.
Also Read:James Cameron Has One Thing He’d Like To Change About His $2.2B Kate Winslet-Starring Epic Titanic
James Cameron Has A Weird Interpretation AboutThe Terminator’s Appeal
WhenJames Cameronapproached the lead actors of the film,Arnold SchwarzeneggerandMichael Biehn, both actors felt that the film was too silly. Schwarzenegger revealed that he only gained confidence in the movie after watching the first 20 minutes of the edited cut. Cameron’s concept was definitely ahead of its time, but he managed to stylishly convey the story to his audience.
When theAliensdirector was asked about the appeal of his sci-fi film, he explained that the character tapped into the strange fantasies that everyone secretly harbored. According to theTrue Liesdirector, people often yearned to be like the Terminator and act out their violent thoughts. While the director’s point may seem odd, it is not without some merit. James Cameron stated (via IMDB):
“It’s like the dark side of Superman, in a sense. I think it has a great cathartic value to people who wish they could just splinter open the door to their boss’s office, walk in, break his desk in half, grab him by the throat and throw him out the window and get away with it. Everybody has that little demon that wants to be able to do whatever it wants, the bad kid that never gets punished.”
The Terminatorwas instrumental in launching James Cameron’s career in Hollywood.The Abyssdirector only has a handful of films in the industry, but he’s deemed one of the most innovative filmmakers in the world.
Also Read:“I was headed down a path”: Leonardo DiCaprio Believes Martin Scorsese ‘Saved Him’ Despite Working With Steven Spielberg And James Cameron Before
James Cameron Initially Did Not Want Arnold Schwarzenegger In The Film
Another appealing factor to the villainous AI robot, apart from James Cameron’s weird reasoning, was Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. However, Schwarzenegger was the studio’s choice for the protagonist Reese. Cameron did not want to cast theTwinsactor as he was concerned that he would then need to find another big actor to play The Terminator. Cameron went to meet theFUBARactor with the intention of avoiding casting him.
But Schwarzenegger impressed Cameron with his comments on how the villain should be portrayed. Cameron then cast him as the villain, rather than in the role of Reese. But theEscape Planactor initially felt that the movie was silly, even calling it a“sh*t movie”in an interview during the film’s production. But he still committed to the film as he sought a change of pace from his previous work in the sword and sorcery film,Conan the Barbarian.
The film worked wonders for both Cameron and Schwarzenegger and went on to gross $78.3 million at the box office. The success also spawned several sequels, making it into a big franchise.The Terminatoris now available for streaming on Max.
Also Read:“I was petrified at the start of The Terminator”: James Cameron Was Scared of Working With Arnold Schwarzenegger Despite Begging Him To Be the Lead
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3020
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
