Last year, Terminator filmmaker James Cameron conducted an interview with Variety on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his famous 1984 sci-fi action film. He reacted to people’s comments regarding the movie’s script.
James Cameron on The Terminator’s Legacy:
It was initiated in 1984, when it was directed by James Cameron and scripted by him, together with Gale Anne Hurd. This is one of the earliest sci-fi pictures that shot Schwarzenegger to fame; it was also his starring film with the movie title.
After watching the film, Cameron said, ‘I don’t think of it as some Holy Grail, that’s for sure.’ He said, ‘I look at it now, and there are parts of it that I cringe at, and there are parts of it that can be said, “You know what, guys, we did not such bad for such a small budget.”‘
Response to Dialogue Criticism:
He also responded to criticisms aimed towards the dialogue of the movie, stating clearly, “I don’t cringe in any of the dialogue, but I’d guess from scanning various websites and forums and whatnot that I do have a lower cringe factor on any of the dialogue that I write. “He was very defensive and continued, “Well, guess what? Let me see your three out of four highest-grossing films, and then let’s talk.
Cameron disagreed and stated that all his scripts have been cash cows at the box office, meaning that he is among the highest-paid filmmakers.
Cameron’s Iconic Filmography:
Nevertheless, apart from The Terminator, Cameron is also famous for other movies like Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, and Avatar sequels. He also directed, wrote, co-produced, and co-edited Titanic, which is still one of the richest-grossing films recorded in history.
James Cameron Defends Avatar’s Runtime and Popularity:
Cameron also spoke about the criticism surrounding the three-hour runtime of Avatar: The Way of Water. This means that Alita is the descendant of a race adapted to living on water and can move through the water without any difficulty. He said in response to complaints, “I don’t want anyone complaining about length when they set they sit down and they binge-watch for eight hours.” He said, “I have seen my kids sit down and watch five one-hour episodes consecutively.”
Regarding the trolling of his first Avatar film, Cameron remained unsatisfied with criticism from those who exaggerate that the movie has no memorable storyline despite its record-breaking box-office success. ‘The trolls will have it that nobody gives a s***, and they can not even remember the characters’ names or one damn thing being watched in the movie,’ he said.
As Variety reveals, Cameron is currently preparing for the release of Avatar 3, titled Avatar: The Fire and Ash. The movie is set to premiere in theaters by December 19, 2025.
