Shocking Revelation: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Iconic Movie Character Wanted to Unleash Maximum Carnage!
Arnold Schwarzenegger's desire for his legendary character to take down more foes was denied by the director, leaving fans questioning what could have been Find out why the actor's wish to increase the body count was turned down
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone maintained a silent rivalry, but they closely followed each other's movie releases. However, James Cameron, the director of the successful Terminator 2 franchise, was determined not to let their competition overshadow his artistic vision.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, regarded as one of the greatest sequels of all time, achieved a remarkable global box office gross of $520.9 million, becoming the highest-grossing movie of 1991. In contrast, the first installment, The Terminator, only earned a modest $78.3 million. The sequel takes place a decade after the rescue of Sarah Conor from the lethal Terminator portrayed by Schwarzenegger. In the initial film, the Terminator traveled back from 2029 to 1984 with explicit instructions to eliminate Sarah Connor. However, the second film introduces a twist: Schwarzenegger's Terminator is now rewired to protect Sarah Conner's son, John Conner, from a more advanced and human-like killing machine.
During a panel discussion at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Arnold Schwarzenegger reminisced about his desire for his character, The Terminator, to have a staggering body count of at least 150 people in the film Judgement Day. Praising the visionary talent of writer Jim Cameron, Schwarzenegger initially had doubts about the concept. He recalled his perplexed reaction when Cameron proposed the idea of portraying a "good Terminator." Schwarzenegger humorously conveyed his confusion, questioning, "What do you mean a good Terminator? In the first film, I killed 68 people. In the second one, I have to ramp it up to 150. We take it to the next level! Slit their throats, blast them with a cannon, run them over with a car. I was determined to surpass Stallone. I made it my mission to be the ultimate on-screen serial killer."
Inevitably, when the "Govenator" presented Cameron with his character suggestions, the highly skilled director swiftly rejected them. Schwarzenegger playfully recounted, "He said, 'Arnold, enough! You have some twisted thoughts. Rest assured, in Terminator 2, you won't lay a finger on a single soul.'"
Cameron's string of box office hits demonstrated his expertise in the industry. While every great director values actors' input and concerns, Cameron's motivation for doing so was to outdo Stallone. Schwarzenegger and Stallone, both prominent action stars in the 1980s, had a strong disdain for each other. Their constant competition to outshine one another may have influenced Schwarzenegger's judgment when pitching his ideas for the 1991 film to Cameron.
True to his word, Cameron remained committed to his vision. In case anyone needs a reminder, the once formidable killing machine was transformed into a more tolerant individual thanks to his troubled friend John. Despite their differences, both Schwarzenegger and Stallone have enjoyed successful careers and became synonymous with action films in the 1980s and 1990s. If it wasn't Schwarzenegger gracing the big screen, it was Stallone. Fortunately, Stallone has confirmed that they have put their past animosity behind them and are now good friends.
Terminator 2 is currently available on Netflix.
Source: Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
