James Cameron Wants Next ‘Terminator’ To Be “Future-Proof”

by

James Cameron is known for taking on ambitious projects, and his next challenge seems to be revitalizing the Terminator franchise. As he prepares to release Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in the hugely successful Avatar series, Cameron is also considering returning to a property that launched his career. He first gained recognition with The Terminator and set a new standard for sequels with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. While he plans to start working on a new Terminator movie, bringing the series back in 2025 feels more complicated than it did back in 1984.

In an interview with Gizmodo, James Cameron discussed plans for a new Terminator movie following the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash. He explained that once the current marketing campaign wraps up in about a month, he’ll start focusing on his next projects, beginning with a new Terminator script. Cameron already has extensive notes – enough to fill a three-inch stack – outlining his vision for the film and intends to dedicate himself to the writing process. His main challenge, however, is making the movie feel futuristic given how much real-world technology has advanced, and ensuring it remains relevant for at least a few years.

Things are challenging, and it’s important to acknowledge that. Science fiction isn’t just entertainment anymore – it’s becoming reality, and at a rapid pace. We’re facing issues that used to be confined to the realm of books and films, and now they’re very real problems we have to solve. I don’t think anyone can accurately predict the future, even a year or two ahead, and I certainly couldn’t have foreseen this back in 1984. However, I’m trying to prepare myself as best as possible by thinking a couple of years ahead.

James Cameron and the Future of ‘The Terminator’


Tri-Star Pictures

James Cameron has several projects in the works, starting with a new Terminator film. He’s also planning to write and direct Ghost of Hiroshima, a movie based on the novel by Charles Pellegrino, which tells the story of a Japanese man who remarkably survived both atomic bombings in World War II. This will be Cameron’s first film outside of the Avatar universe in over two decades. He’s still committed to Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, scheduled for release in 2029 and 2031. Despite finishing Avatar: Fire and Ash with a conclusive ending, just in case the film doesn’t do well, he’s prepared for the possibility that the sequels might not be made.

Currently, Cameron is working on a new Terminator project. He might let another director take the helm, much like he did with Alita: Battle Angel, where he only wrote and produced. Though he left the Terminator series after Terminator 2: Judgment Day, he played a significant role in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate, which was the most critically acclaimed sequel since T2 but unfortunately didn’t perform well at the box office.

James Cameron has often discussed the challenges of bringing back the Terminator franchise in a world so reliant on technology. When the series began, fears about artificial intelligence were limited to science fiction, but now those fears are becoming real. Cameron highlighted the dangers of AI weapons as early as August 2025. The question is whether Terminator can adapt to a world not only familiar with AI, but in some ways accepting of it. This presents a rare opportunity to meaningfully update the series for the first time since Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991.

Read More

2025-12-02 23:48