Since the debut of its first trailer last week, Terminator: Dark Fate has vowed to get the franchise back on track. Genisys didn’t exactly do fans – or the box office – any favors four years ago. But with Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and James Cameron on board, it could win them back over. However, Cameron wasn’t always sold on returning to the franchise that made him famous.
According to an interview from Flicks and the City (since removed, but preserved by CinemaBlend), Cameron had a request. He wouldn’t do the film without Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“I said ‘Look I’d love to be involved in this, but I can’t be involved in a Terminator movie without working with my good friend of 35 years, Arnold Schwarzenegger, even if it’s to officially pass the baton to a new generation of characters,” explained Cameron. “So that’s what we all agreed to do. Then the question became what about Linda [Hamilton], does Linda want to come back?”
Related: James Cameron Says Terminator: Dark Fate Continues John Connor’s Story
He noted that there was never a plan to replace Sarah Connor with a new actress, as Genisys did with Emilia Clarke. Hamilton was always the choice to fill the role. Without Hamilton, Sarah Connor wouldn’t have been in the movie. Fortunately, Hamilton chose to return, and is featured prominently in the trailer, bazooka in hand.
Schwarzenegger has been in every Terminator film, except for Terminator: Salvation. As for Hamilton, her on-screen involvement concluded with 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, she did provide a brief narration for Salvation.
Dark Fate will serve as the “true” follow-up to Terminator 2. But instead of John Connor, the Terminators now pursue a hybrid cyborg/human named Dani Ramos. Sarah and the T-800 must work together once more to keep her safe, alongside her friends.
The Tim Miller-directed Terminator: Dark Fate opens on November 1. What do you think about Schwarzenegger and Hamilton returning? Let us know in the comments below!
